The Pataleshwar Mandir, Hajipur,Bihar

Good morning. (12th June 2107)

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The Pataleshwar Mandir is a Hindu Temple in the city of Hajipur, in Vaishali district Bihar, India. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is located at Jadhua Road, Hajipur. As per local folklore, it is said to have been in existence since ancient peri

od and Lord Shiva is believed to be in the form of Lingam here. Apart from anthropomorphic images of Shiva, the worship of Shiva in the form of a lingam, or linga, is also important. The worship of the Shiva-Linga originated from the famous hymn in the Atharva-Veda Samhita sung in praise of the Yupa-Stambha, the sacrificial post. The lingam is a representation of the Hindu deity Shiva used for worship in temples.

The Pataleshwar Temple has an interesting origin — King Siddharaj Solanki of the Solanki era was born at this site. In celebration, Maharani Minaldevi ordered that a well should be dug at the spot for thirsty travelers. While digging the well, a Shiva Linga was unearthed, and therefore, the Pataleshwar temple was later built in the shape of a well.

It was aptly christened Patal-eshwar, which means ‘Lord under the ground’; The actual temple built in the 8th century AD lies 40 feet below the ground, while the new structure on top has only been recently added. On many original stones used to build the temple, inscriptions showing different symbols of snakes (who adorn Lord Shiva’s neck) are found.

It is a Swayanbhu Shivlinga(self created) and believed that it came out from the earth without any efforts. It is believed that that in ancient time a lion roared daily near the temple in the morning and evening. There is also a beautiful statue of Nandi and snake god which is installed in front of the temple. Many saints came here time to time and meditate here.

According to few legends

During the exile period of Pandavas, the brother Arjuna meditated hard for lord Shiva. Being pleased, lord Shiva appeared himself before Arjuna and told him to ask for a boon. Arjuna prayed lord Shiva to retain himself at this place in the form of Shiva linga for public welfare. Lord Shiva accepted his prayer and told him that one who worships him and pours water on the Shivling will be blessed and fulfilled with all his wishes.

The place where lord Shiva standing a shivling started to come out from the earth by itself. Coming out of the shivling from the earth leads to name Pataleshwar Mahadev.

It is told that every year on Shivratri the Shivlinga increases by an inch. That is why  Pataleshwar Mahadev shivling is unique in the world and has become the centre of religious faith for Hindus.

The Sun temple of Deo

Good morning & Happy Sunday. (11th June 2017)

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The Sun temple of Deo is one of the most popular temples in Bihar. The Temple is unique as it faces west, the setting sun not the usual raising Sun. 

Sun Temple of Deo is one of the remarkable and notable temple and religious place in Bihar. It is a 100-ft tall structure, with an umbrella-like top. The important custom of worshipping the Sun God and taking bath in its Brahma Kund dates back to the era of King Ayel. The temple is very old and very well built. It is a mix of nagara art of design and other contemporary art of designs.


Deo is located 10-km to the southeast of Aurangabad. The main structure is a beautifully carved ornamental, pyramid shaped stone built shikhara .The frontal section and the courtyard is built in later period. Presently there are three idols (Vishnu, Surya and Avalokitesawara) at the sanctum which are not the original presiding deity. Outside the main sanctum in the front hall section there are three broken idols kept as it is not the custom to worship a broken deity. One of the broken sculptures is of Surya (the Sun God) sculpture with seven horses, and one Uma- Maheshwara idol and the other is of Vishnu. There is also one Shivlinga and a Ganesha sculpture. An ancient inscription stone is installed at the interior of the temple. This temple is considered very auspicious to visit on the festival of Chatth puja / Adra Nakshatra tithi on Sundays. The Surya Kund is about a km away where the offerings for the rituals are made. The two tanks on either side of the road, known as Rudra Kund (left) and Surya Kund (Right) are believed to cure leprosy and other acute ailments

TEMPLE HISTORY

It is said that once Lord Vishwakarma was told to build temples in one night. And this very temple was built that night. But historically the Temple of Deo, is believed to have been built by Bhairvendra Singh, a Chandravanshi king of Umga. The holy Sunland of Deo is also the place of historical importance where tourist can find ruins of ancient forts mainly built in the era of the king Raja Jagannath Singh. His empire was the time when Deo, bloomed into the great location. His main administration centre was located in “Kanchanpur” village, almost 3-4 kms south of Deo, the other place that is an attraction to the tourists are forests and the baba Siddhanath’s temple, located on the bodla peak near the village of Bara Khurd. The forest here have the well maintained greenery and in history, it was the place where the king and his ministers went for hunting.


The flock of birds flying in, almost threaten to knock you down as you enter the Dev Surya Mandir. Among the rarest and oldest of Sun temples of India, there is a shilalekha outside , on which a shloka that is inscribed, has been taken from the book of Aryabhatta that says that on the fifth day of Magha month’s shukla paksha, Thursday, Eila’s son Aiel established this Sun temple in Tretayuga twelve lakh sixteen thousand years ago. Eila was the daughter of Manu. As legend has it, King Aiel who was suffering from leprosy and was out hunting in the forest here, discovered that the muddy water of a pit cured him of the disease. He dreamt of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh statues in the pit and was ordered to install them. Thus this temple came up. Priest Sachchidananda Pathak says that these three statues depict the eleventh form of Sun God out of twelve. Sun God is depicted as Brahma in Udayakal, as Mahesh in Madhyakal and as Vishnu at Astakal. Below the central statue of Sun God as Mahesh, a chariot is depicted being pulled by seven horses and Arjun as charioteer.