Maa Mundeshwari Devi Temple is an octagonal stone temple, dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva and Shakti and is located on the summit of Piwara hill, with a height of about 600 feet (158 meters) above seal level. Mundeshwari Hill is located at Kaura near Bhabhua of District Kaimur, Bihar. The temple also has deities of Ganesha, Surya and Vishnu. Mundeshwari Temple is the oldest specimen of the Nagara style of temple architecture and is considered as the most ancient functional temples in the world, as rituals have been performed here without a break.
Timeline
- 1790: When Thomas and William Daniell visited India, they created the above painting. This Shiva temple on the Mundeshvari hill near Ramgarh (not Chainpur) is one of the earliest standing Hindu temples in Northern India as recorded by the discovery of an inscription dated AD 635. The superstructure that originally covered the temple had already collapsed when seen by the Daniells. The remains have now been restored.
- 1812: Francis Buchanan-Hamilton sent a painter on site to document the surrounding landscapes, temple planning, scuplture, etc which helped in the survey.
- 1878: William hunter shares the information about this temple to Robert Montgomery.
- 1892,1902-1904: Recovered inscriptions (artifacts) believed to belong to the fourth century from the temple and was translated by Dr. Rakhaldas Bandhyopadhyay (published in Epigraphia Indica-Part 9 in 1907) and N.G. Majumdar (published in Indian Antiquity No. 49). The inscriptions are written in Brahmi script
- 1915: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) dates the temple to 108 AD and has since been recognized as a protected monument.
"A small temple named Mundeswari, situated on a hill about five miles east from Chayanpur, was built by the Daitya Munda.
The temple, now very ruinous, has been an octagon supported by four columns of an order common in Bihar, and has had a porch supported by eight similar columns: havinh had four doors, it is much lighter than usual, although one of the doors is shut behind. In the center is a Shiva Linga with four human faces on the phallus. Mundeswari, or the godess of Munda, is an armed female, having many hands and riding on a buffalo: it probably represents the wife of Mahisasur. The door of the temple towards the porch has figures of dancers, musicians and such like personages."
Climate Data
The climate of the district is somewhat extreme in nature. January is the coldest month when the mean minimum temperature comes down to approximately 4 degree C. The temperature starts rising from March and reaches its peak in May when the mercury touches about 45 degree C. Rain starts sometime in mid-June and lasts till mid-September. The district gets easterly winds from June to September, and from October to May wind direction reverses. Maximum rains occur during the months of July and August (289 mm).
Architecture Style
The Nagara style temple octagonal in plan, 40’ in diameter externally and 20’ internally, with possibly a pillared porch in front of its main entrance.
There are four entrances to the temple, in which one has been closed and one half open. The original roof of the temple, which was probably pyramidal in shape, is lost and now replaced by a flat roof of stone flags. The Sikhara of the temple is not in existence but a fragment of the amalaka originally crowning the spire is still lying in the site.
- East: The ancient idol of the goddess Mundeshwari (also known as Durga and Mahishasur Mardini, the slayer of the demon Mahishasur, who took the form of a buffalo) is the center of the main attraction.
- Central: The The Chatur Mukhalingam (Lingam with four faces) has been constructed with a special stone which changes its color with respect to the Sun's orientation.
- West: The statue of Vishal Nandi on the west side of the main entrance.
The inscription made on this temple is of middle of 389 AD whereas Gupta style is apparent in the carvings.
The worship of Shakti in the form of Devi Mundeshwari in the temple is also indicative of tantric cult of worship, which is practiced in Eastern India. The uniqueness of this temple is in animal (goat) sacrifice. Here the goat is sacrificed but it is not slaughtered. This type of sacrifice is nowhere else.
The plaque outside the temple reads "
"This beautiful temple of Mandaleshwara, now called Mundeshwari is one of the earliest temples of Bihar. According to an inscription found here, it had been in existence in A.D. 635. Built entirely of stone and octagonal on plan, its walls are relieved with niches and bold mouldings, and carved with vase and foliage designs. On its door-jambs are carved figures of Dvarpalas Ganga Yamuna etc. Inside the temple is a Chaturmukha Shiva-linga and 2 curious stone vessels. The shikhara of the temple collapsed long ago, the present roof being a recent restoration."
According to Dr. K C Panigrahi, this temple had seen “three periods of religious history viz.
(i) When it was a Vaishnava temple of the God Narayana around the 348-59 AD,
(ii) When it was converted into a Shaiva temple of Viniteshwara, a name of Lord Shiva around the 7th century and
(iii) When it was last converted into the temple dedicated to the Goddess Mundeshwari, perhaps under the Chero, a powerful aboriginal tribe and the original inhabitants of the Kaimur hills, who were Saktas.
P C Roy Choudhury mentions:
“It is also remarkable that this temple appears to have been left unmolested when Muslim rule under Sher Shah was set up in this area. The neighbouring Chayanpur fort was one of the citadels of Sher Shah and the Muslim pockets in the neighbouring villages suggest that a much larger Muslim population had lived in the area when Muslim rule was predominant. The ravages to Mundesvari are not man-made but due to the passage of time.”
Present day
The temple may already have been in a ruined state owing to disrepair over time, and thus may have escaped the attention of invaders, and thus survived.
Today, The festivals of Ramnavami and Shivrartri hold special charm at the Mundeshwari temple and the temple is visited by a large number of pilgrims each year, to soak in the spiritual glory.The temple has been witnessing a growth in the number of tourists every year, now around 12 to 14 lakhs, and there is also an annual celebration of Mundeshwari Mahotsava, which sees several artists of the region participating with full spirit and vigor.
Source:
- Maa Mundeshwari Temple (Bhagwanpur) | District Kaimur, Government of Bihar | India
- Mundeshwari Devi Temple in Kaimur | Bihar Tourism
- Environmental Impact Assessment study for Proposed Material and Passenger Ropeway System at the Holy Shine of Shri Mata Vaishnao Deviji, Katra, District Reasi, J & K (environmentclearance.nic.in)
- https://ia800303.us.archive.org/9/items/MundeshvariTemple/Mundeshvari Temple.pdf
- MUNDESHWARI TEMPLE - Rohtas District
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