The temple was commissioned by King Gadadhar Singha of the Ahom dynasty in 1694 AD. The king was a staunch Shaivite and built many temples across the kingdom. According to the Kalika Purana, Lord Shiva resided here in the form of Bhayananda. Legend says that Shiva was once meditating on this hillock when Kamadeva (the God of Love) interrupted his penance to arouse passion for Parvati.
Enraged, Shiva opened his third eye and burnt Kamadeva to ashes, giving the island its name 'Bhasmachal' (Hill of Ashes). Although the original temple was heavily damaged by the great earthquake of 1897, it was later reconstructed by a local merchant, preserving its historical essence.
