Maa Kalanka Devi Temple

Barsi Takli is a town in the Akola district of Maharashtra. The town’s original name was Tekkali as it is referred to in a twelfth century CE inscription belonging to a collateral branch of the Yadavas of Devagiri. It served as the capital town for the kings of that branch. The traditions ascribe Tankawati as its older name. The peth was founded later and as it began on the twelfth day of the month (the day following Ekadashi), the whole was called Barsi Takli. The gazetteer says the town was prosperous once and its population under the Nizam’s reign was once 22,000. The population dropped significantly by three calamities: a great Pindari raid when the town was looted for seven days, a great fire, and the famine of 1803. The population in 1901 was recorded as 6,288.¹ The same stands at 30,214 in the 2011 census.

Maa Kalanka Devi Temple – The earlier accounts mention the temple was dedicated to the goddess Bhawani and was known by the same name. The main entrance to the temple is on the north through a mandapa. Contrary to the usual temple plans where a mandapa lies on the same axis as the main garbhagrha, the mandapa in this temple is at the right angle to the garbhagrha. The exterior plan of the mandapa is rectangular. It is closed on two sides, east and south. The northern side, where an entrance is provided, is partially open with a gap between the beams and half-walls. These half-walls have seats with back benches. On the benches are two pillars and two pilasters supporting the beam above.