Mundeshwari Temple Kaimur History ,How to Reach , Images , Temple Information

The Mundeshwari Devi temple located on the Mundeshwari Hill at an elevation of 608 feet (185 m) is in Kaimur district of Bihar. Located on Khaimur plateau across Son River, there are many archaeological relics on the Mundeshwari Hill. It can be reached by road via Patna, Gaya, or Varanasi. The nearest railway station is at Mohania - Bhabua Road Railway Station from where the temple is 22 km by road

History :

As per the prevalent version, the temple was built in the period of 3-4 BC with the Narayana, or Vishnu, as the presiding deity. The statue of Narayana has disappeared due to the ravages of time. During 348 AD, a new deity Viniteswara was set up as a minor deity in the temple, holding a

subsidiary position to Narayana, the main deity.

Around the seventh century AD, Shaivism (Religion based on Lord Shiva) became the prevalent religion and Viniteswara, which was a minor deity, emerged as the presiding deity of the temple. The Chatur Mukhalingam (Lingam with four faces) representing him was accorded the central place in the

temple, which it holds even now.

After this period, the Cheros, a powerful aboriginal tribe and the original inhabitants of the Kaimur hills, ascended to power. The Cheros were worshippers of Shakti, as represented by Mundeswari, also known as Maheshmardini and Durga. Mundeswari was made the main deity of the temple. However, Mukhalingam still occupied centre stage in the temple. So the image of Durga was installed in a niche along one wall of the temple, where it resides to this day, while the Mukhalingam survives as the subsidiary deity, though

in a central position.

The Mundeshwari Devi Temple (also spelled as Mundesvari) is located at Kaura in Kaimur district in the state of Bihar, India on the Mundeshwari Hills. It is an ancient temple dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva and Shakti and is considered one of the oldest Hindu temples in Bihar. It is also considered as the 'oldest functional' temple of world.

The inscription of an information plaque erected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at the site indicates the dating of the temple to 108 AD. However, there are other versions for the dating stating the Saka era, prior to Gupta dynasty rule (320 AD) in India, and specifically to 105 AD according to the Administrator of the Bihar Religious Trust Board. The temple, a protected monument under ASI since 1915, is substantially damaged and is under restoration

Festivals :

The temple attracts devotees during festivals like Ramnavami and Shivratri. People from these districts flock to the temple regularly all round the year. Of particular significance is the period of Navratra when thousands of people from the Rohtas, Gaya, Aurangabad, Bhojpur, Varanasi, Mirazpur and surrounding districts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh districts come to the temple and a mela is held. During this period, the temple and the area around the hill is a riot of colour.



The guest house at the base of the hill, the concrete road up the hill, the sodium vapour lamps lighting up the temple and the hill road in the night and the market complex built for the mela have brightened up the whole environment recently.