The 18th century Durga Temple, situated 2kms from Varanasi on the top of a rectangular tank called Durga Ghat was built by a Bengali Maharani in Nagara (North Indian) style of architecture. The manifestation of Parvati and incarnation of power and harmony, Goddess Durga is the main deity here and it is believed that the goddess herself was appeared in the temple to protest the city. According to legends, the present statue of the Goddess was not made by man but appeared on its own in the temple.  The shikhara of this ochre red coloured temple is multi tiered which was formed by separate spires one above the other and the width of these spires keep decreasing with increasing height.

Durga temple is commonly known as 'Monkey Temple' because to the presence of monkeys in and around the temple premises. Sometimes the temple is referred as Brahmacharini Durga Temple or Shri Kushmanda Durga Dham. During Navaratri and other auspicious occasions, large number of devotees gathered here to offer their prayers and seek the blessings. Durga Puja is the main ritual performed and sacrifices of goat is the main offering to the Goddess.