King Bir Shah (1696-1704) and Queen Hirai had a daughter named Mankunwar.  She was married to Durgapal (Durgshah), a landlord of Devgad (near Vairagad).  But the fort keeper tortured her and treated her harshly.  When King Bir Shah heard the news, he became angry and vowed to punish Durgapal severely.  In case of victory in the battle against Durgapala, Bir Shah decided to build a magnificent temple at the place where Durgapala's head is offered to Goddess Mahakali.  Around 1702, Durgapal was defeated and killed in a fierce battle in the forest near Vairagad in Gadchiroli.  Awakening to his promise to the Goddess, Bir Shah severed the head of Durgapala from the body and ritually offered it to the Goddess.  After the death of King Bir Shah  When Rani Hirai built a huge temple there in 1710, the symbolic stone head of Durgapala was placed near the north peak of the temple.  This temple of Mahakali still commemorates the victory of Bir Shah and the unfortunate end of Durgapal.