Mahavir Mandir Explained

Map Type:India Patna
Coordinates:25.6039°N 85.1364°W
Native Name:Hanuman Mandir
Country:India
State:Bihar
Location:Patna
Elevation M:57
Deity:Hanuman
Festivals:Rama Navami, Hanuman Jayanti
Architecture:Nagara Architecture
Year Completed:First built – unknown
Rebuilt – 1947
Final Rebuilt – 1987

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]

History

As per the Patna High Court judgment in 1948, the temple has existed since time immemorial.[4] But due to the scrutiny of historical facts and traditions, it appears that this temple was originally established by swami Balanand, an ascetic of the Ramanandi sect in around 1730 CE. This temple gained popularity in 1947 with a 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

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

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

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.

Philanthropic work by Shri Mahavir Sthan Nyas Samiti

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.The Mahavir Mandir Trust has the second highest budget in North India, after that of the Maa Vaishno Devi shrine.[17]

Publications

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.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Patna's Mahavir temple to allow devotees in specified time slots based on their names. ANI News.
  2. News: Religious shrines open gates for devotees | Patna News – Times of India. The Times of India. 9 September 2020 .
  3. News: Mahavir Mandir to have its twin in Houston . https://web.archive.org/web/20121105201604/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-07-09/patna/28197134_1_acharya-kishore-kunal-houston-patna . dead . 5 November 2012 . . 9 July 2009 .
  4. Web site: Mahavir Mandir, Bihar – Info, Timings, Photos, History . 2024-03-03 . TemplePurohit – Your Spiritual Destination Bhakti, Shraddha Aur Ashirwad.
  5. Web site: Mahavir Temple . 2008-09-12 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090410055641/http://patna.bih.nic.in/html/mahavirtemple.htm . 2009-04-10 .
  6. Web site: Faizan Ahmad . Crowds throng temples on New Year . https://web.archive.org/web/20121021190134/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-01-02/patna/27783660_1_new-year-crowds-throng-temples-mahabir-mandir . dead . 2012-10-21 . 2008-01-02 . . 2013-10-03.
  7. Web site: ANI . 2022-04-10 . Bihar: Devotees throng Patna's Mahavir temple on Ram Navami . 2024-03-03 . ThePrint.
  8. News: Upadhyay . Saloni . 28 August 2023 . Patna Mahavir Mandir: पटना का महावीर मंदिर इतना क्यों है खास, जानिए इससे जुड़ी दिलचस्प बातें . 31 January 2024 . Dainik Jagran Hindi News.
  9. News: Patna: From an outcast to a temple priest. 13 July 2017 . Live Mint.
  10. Web site: राम-रसोई – महावीर मन्दिर, पटना द्वारा संचालित. राम-रसोई.
  11. Web site: Shri Mahavir Sthan Nyas Samiti, Patna | श्री महावीर स्थान न्यास समिति, पटना. smsns.org.
  12. Web site: Rama Temple at Ayodhya. ayodhyaramatemple.org.
  13. Web site: अयोध्या में महावीर मंदिर पटना की राम रसोई शुरू,गोविंद भोग चावल की बनी खीर.
  14. Web site: Bihar's famous Govind Bhog rice to be used in offering to Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. 20 November 2019 .
  15. Web site: Welcome to National Cancer Registry Programme . 2017-06-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071216072654/http://www.canceratlasindia.org/CenterFilter.asp?CenterCode=95&CenterName=Mahavir+Cancer+Sansthan,+Patna . 16 December 2007 .
  16. News: Patna: Mahavir Mandir Trust helps the poor. 23 May 2020 . The Times of India .
  17. Web site: TNN . Mandir trust submits Rs 35-cr budget . https://web.archive.org/web/20121021190121/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-05-07/patna/27782954_1_mahavir-mandir-trust-temple-trust-religious-trust . dead . 2012-10-21 . 2008-05-07 . . 2013-10-03.