Mahavir Mandir is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Hanuman, located in Patna, Bihar, India. Millions of pilgrims visit the temple every year.[1][2] Acharya Kishore Kunal is the secretary of the Mahavir Mandir Temple Trust, Patna.[3]

Mahavir Mandir
Hanuman Mandir
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DeityHanuman
FestivalsRama Navami, Hanuman Jayanti
Location
LocationPatna
StateBihar
CountryIndia
Mahavir Mandir is located in Patna
Mahavir Mandir
Location in Patna
Geographic coordinates25°36′14″N 85°8′11″E / 25.60389°N 85.13639°E / 25.60389; 85.13639
Architecture
Type Nagara Architecture
CompletedFirst built - unknown
Rebuilt - 1947
Final Rebuilt - 1987
Elevation57 m (187 ft)
Website
mahavirmandirpatna.org

History edit

As per the Patna High Court judgment in 1948 the temple has existed since time immemorial.[4]But from the scrutiny of historical facts and traditions, it appears that this temple was originally established by swami Balanand, an ascetic of Ramanandi sect in around 1730 A.D. This temple gained popularity in 1947 with large number of Hindu refugees coming to Patna after the partition of India. Subsequently, the temple was rebuilt as a concrete house, which was demolished in 1987 to construct a huge marble temple. The idol of Sankat-Mochan, an avatar of Hanuman, stands in it.[5]

Visits edit

Long winding queues can be seen at the temple on Saturdays and Tuesdays, the traditional worshiping days of Hanuman. Thousands of people visit Mahavir Mandir every Rama Navami and New Year celebration.[6] On Rama Navami, the queues can be over one kilometer long.[7][8]

Dalit Priest edit

Since 13 June 1993, Suryavanshi Das, a person from the Dalit caste, has been priest of the temple, the decision received support from three well known priests—Ramchandra Paramahans, Mahant Avaidyanath of Baba Gorakhnath Dham and Mahant Avadh Kishore Das.[9]

Ram Rasoi edit

Arrangements for free food have been made to the devotees who visit Ramlala at Ram Rasoi.[10] Acharya Kishore Kunal, secretary of the Shri Mahavir Sthan Nyas Samiti,[11] started it on Sunday 1 December 2019. This free food facility functions in the Amava temple just outside the temple of Ramlala, at Amawa Mandir Complex, Ramkot, Ayodhya-224123.[12] Devotees who visit Ramlala at Ram Rasoi get free food between 11:30 am till 3:00 pm every day.
For this, 60 quintals of Govind Bhog shear rice have been sent to Ayodhya.[13] This rice has been sourced from Mokri village in Kaimur (Bihar).[14] The services of Shri Ram's kitchen and Shri Ramlala's bhog will function continuously. There is arrangement of feeding one thousand people daily in the initial phase. After this, based on the increasing number of Ramlala's devotees, food will be arranged for more and more people.[citation needed]

Philanthropic work by Shri Mahavir Sthan Nyas Samiti edit

Mahavir Mandir Trust is named Shri Mahavir Sthan Nyas Samiti(श्री महावीर स्थान न्यास समिति).[11] Headed by Acharya Kishore Kunal, the trust monitors working and development of temple. The Trusts uses the temple fund to run human welfare organizations and hospitals like Mahavir Cancer Institute & Research Centre,[15][16] Mahavir Vaatsalya Hospital and Mahavir Arogya Hospital and other several hospitals and orphanage in the agricultural and rural state of Bihar.[citation needed] The Mahavir Mandir Trust has the second highest budget in North India, after that of the Maa Vaishno Devi shrine.[17]

Publications edit

The temple started the publication of Dharmayan, a magazine focusing on culture, religion, and nationality in 1990. Since then the magazine has continuously been in publication. They recently celebrated a Diamond Jublee with the publication of its 100th issue. Dignitaries such as Acharya Sitaram Chaturvedi, Sahitya Vachaspati Shriranjan Suridev, Dr. Kashinath Mishra have been associated with this esteemed magazine. Currently Acharya Kishore Kunal graces the position of Chief Editor and it is being edited by Pandit Bhavanath Jha.[citation needed]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Patna's Mahavir temple to allow devotees in specified time slots based on their names". ANI News.
  2. ^ "Religious shrines open gates for devotees | Patna News - Times of India". The Times of India. 9 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Mahavir Mandir to have its twin in Houston". The Times of India. 9 July 2009. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012.
  4. ^ "Mahavir Mandir, Bihar - Info, Timings, Photos, History". TemplePurohit - Your Spiritual Destination | Bhakti, Shraddha Aur Ashirwad. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  5. ^ "Mahavir Temple". Archived from the original on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  6. ^ Faizan Ahmad, TNN 2 Jan 2008, 03.49am IST (2 January 2008). "Crowds throng temples on New Year". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ ANI (10 April 2022). "Bihar: Devotees throng Patna's Mahavir temple on Ram Navami". ThePrint. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  8. ^ Upadhyay, Saloni (28 August 2023). "Patna Mahavir Mandir: पटना का महावीर मंदिर इतना क्यों है खास, जानिए इससे जुड़ी दिलचस्प बातें". Dainik Jagran Hindi News. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Patna: From an outcast to a temple priest". Live Mint. 13 July 2017.
  10. ^ "राम-रसोई - महावीर मन्दिर, पटना द्वारा संचालित". राम-रसोई.
  11. ^ a b "Shri Mahavir Sthan Nyas Samiti, Patna | श्री महावीर स्थान न्यास समिति, पटना". smsns.org.
  12. ^ "Rama Temple at Ayodhya". www.ayodhyaramatemple.org.
  13. ^ "अयोध्या में महावीर मंदिर पटना की राम रसोई शुरू ,गोविंद भोग चावल की बनी खीर".
  14. ^ "Bihar's famous Govind Bhog rice to be used in offering to Ram Lalla in Ayodhya". 20 November 2019.
  15. ^ "Welcome to National Cancer Registry Programme". Archived from the original on 16 December 2007. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  16. ^ "Patna: Mahavir Mandir Trust helps the poor". Times of India. 23 May 2020.
  17. ^ TNN 7 May 2008, 05.38am IST (7 May 2008). "Mandir trust submits Rs 35-cr budget". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

External links edit