Maa Dewri Temple

Maa Dewri Temple stands in Diuri village near Tamar, about 60 km from Ranchi on the right of the Ranchi–Tata road. It houses a 3-foot image of the village goddess Dewri with 16 arms, holding a bow, a shield and a flower, said to be about 700 years old. Before the temple existed she was worshipped in a sacred grove, and legend credits the building to an Adivasi king named Kera. The old shrine is made of interlocking stones with no binding material and has stone doors.

The goddess is a tribal deity: Pahans, priests of the Munda community, lead her worship for six days, and Brahmin priests for only one, and tribal instruments such as the nagara are played at puja. Devotees tie red and yellow threads on bamboo when they make a wish and return to untie them once it is granted. A new compound wall was added during a recent renovation by artisans from Odisha.