Hills and mountains, Chattogram
Chandranath Hillচন্দ্রনাথ পাহাড়
- Time needed
- Three to four hours up and down.
- best months
- Nov–Mar
- Cost
- Free; a small donation at the temples.
The thousand-foot hill above Sitakunda with the Chandranath Shiva temple on its summit, a Shakti Peeth and the district's great pilgrimage; a steep stair and a forest path up, the sea and the hills from the top, and lakhs of pilgrims at Shiva Chaturdashi.
Plan your visit
- Best time
- Winter dawns for the climb; Shiva Chaturdashi (February or March) for the pilgrimage.
At a glance
- Height
- About 1,020 feet (310 m)
- Sacred as
- A Shakti Peeth; Chandranath Shiva temple on the summit
- Fair
- Shiva Chaturdashi, three days, February or March
About
Sitakunda's hill is holy ground for Hindus across the subcontinent: by tradition the right arm of Sati fell here, making it one of the Shakti Peeths, and the Chandranath temple on the summit, about 1,020 feet up, is the goal of a pilgrimage that has gone on for centuries. The route starts at the Sitakunda temple complex on the edge of town, passes the Sambhunath and other temples on the lower slope and then climbs by a long stone stair and a rougher forest path, taking most people an hour and a half. From the top the Bay of Bengal, the highway, the paddy and the green ridges running north are all laid out.
At Shiva Chaturdashi, the February or March new moon of Maha Shivaratri, a three-day fair brings several lakh pilgrims; the stair becomes a slow river of people and the town a bazar. The rest of the year it is a hike with temples on it, popular with Chattogram's walkers at dawn. The hot spring at Sahasradhara and the eco-park are on the same hillside.
Getting there: Any Dhaka-bound bus from the city to Sitakunda bazar, about an hour, then a CNG or a 20-minute walk to the temple gate where the stair begins.
Things to do
- Climb the stair before sunrise and watch the Bay light up from the summit.
- Visit the lower temples and the Sitakunda complex on the way down.
Good to know
- Take water and go early; the stair is steep and there is little shade. The forest path is slippery after rain.
- Remove shoes at the temples; during the fair expect hours of queueing and keep valuables close.
