Monohar Bagdi, often remembered by the name Monohar Sardar (Manohar Dakat), was a notorious dacoit leader who operated in the region. Despite his life outside the law, he is believed to have maintained deep faith in Goddess Kali. Before embarking on each raid, he would seek blessings from a small stone idol of Kali that he kept hidden near his den. According to local oral history, Monohar followed a peculiar ritual: he would place a rope around the idol and throw it into a pit before leaving for a robbery, supposedly to ensure the success of his expedition and protection from danger. The idol’s simplicity and minute size earned it the name “Chana Kali,” with chana meaning “tiny” or “small.”
After Monohar’s death, the idol remained in the forested area until it came to the notice of Kamakhyacharan Mukhopadhyay, a local resident deeply moved by the story of the dacoit's devotion. Recognizing the cultural and spiritual significance of the deity, he took the initiative to construct a proper shrine. It was Kamakhyacharan who built the present temple structure and ceremonially installed the original idol within it.
Over the years, the temple evolved from a hidden relic of a dacoit’s faith into a community place of worship. Local residents began gathering there for daily prayers, rituals, and festivals dedicated to Goddess Kali. Despite its humble origin, the Chana Kali Temple holds a unique place in South Kolkata’s spiritual landscape—blending myth, history, and transformation as the surrounding forest gave way to modern neighborhoods.
The idol is made of kasti pathar (touchstone).
Today, the temple stands as a reminder of how faith can emerge from the most unexpected stories, preserving a fragment of Kolkata’s lesser-known past in the heart of a bustling city.