Patan Devi Temple
Patan Devi temple is one of the most important Shaktipeeths in the region, revered by Hindus in India and Nepal. Located 70 km. from Gonda, it is surrounded amidst the beauty of Himalayan tarai. Just 2 km. from Tulsipur, this famous shrine is among one of the 51 Shakti Peeths. It is believed that during the event when Lord Shiva was carrying the corpse of his wife Sati, the light shoulder of Sati had fallen here.
The Devi Patan Siddha Peeth had been established by Guru Gorakshnath of the Nath Sampradaya. The existing temple here is said by to be constructed King Vikramaditya. In the 1lth century King Suheldeo of Sravasti had renovated the temple. The Royal family of Balrampur, is today the caretaker of the temple. A large fair takes place in Navratri and every year on Chaitra Panchami the deity of Pir Ratan Nath is brought from Dang in Nepal to the Devi Patan temple where it is worshipped along with the Devi.
Patan Devi Temple History:-
The Bari Patan Devi and Choti Patan Devi temples are ancient temples. They are rebuilt from time to time. The temple architecture is in Brahmanical style with liberal use of marble and mosaic stones.
The Bari Patan Devi temple faces the north. At the entrance of the temple is a portico leading to the sanctum where the images of goddess Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati are in a standing position on a pedestal. The deities are carved out of black stone. All the three deities are dressed in a sari with a mukut(Kirit) crown adorning the head.
Choti Patan Devi temple faces the south-east direction. This temple also has the same goddess as in Bari Patan Devi temple. There is also a big statue of the Sun god, broken into two parts located at the northern compound side of the Choti Patan Devi temple. There are images of other gods and goddess in the western compound of the temple complex. There is also an image of Devi Parvati made out of black stone in a standing position, in the temple complex. The image of Devi Parvati is believed to be 100 years old. There is also a temple of Lord Shiva built in 1950 to the right side of Devi Parvati statue.
Puranic References:-
According to one puranic reference, the right thigh of Devi Sati fell near Maharajganj and the pat (cloth) fell at Chowk from which three small deities goddess Maa MahaKali, Maa Mahalakshmi and Maa Mahasaraswati emerged. The names of goddess Bari Patan Devi and Choti Patan Devi are derived from the word “Pat” (clothes) which fell at Maharajganj and Chowk. The goddess are said to be the guarding deities who protected the founder of Pataliputra- Putraka*. A stone image was found in a tank near the temple which is kept in the eastern veranda of the temple and is worshipped as a goddess.
*Putraka was a mythological king who created the city by a magic stroke for his queen Patali, meaning “Trumpet flower”, which gives the ancient city its name of Pataligram. In honour of the first born to the queen, the city was named as Pataliputra.
legends regarding the temple:-
Once Prajapati Daksha celebrated Brihaspati Yajna and had invited every god to his Yajna but left out Shiva, his own son-in-law. Sati, the wife of Lord Shiva, on learning that her husband had not been invited to her father's Yajna, went to her father's home. When Sati found no seat allotted to her husband there, she felt mortified and put an end to her life.
Lord Shiva at once came to know of this and in his great anger and sorrow took her dead body on his shoulder and began to perform tandava dance round the Triloka (three worlds). The Gods were horror struck and requested Lord Vishnu to intervene. Vishnu cleverly followed the dancing Shiva and started cutting the dead body of Sati to pieces with his Chakra. Wherever the major limbs of the body of Sati fell the places became Mahapithas. The places where the minor limbs fell came to be known as Upapithas.
There is a tradition fondly believed that some portion of tile right, thigh of Sati and the pat (cloth) fell near Maharajganj and Chowk, from which Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Maha Saraswati came into existence. It is also believed that the names of the goddesses Bari Patan Devi and Choti Patan Devi are derived from the pat, which fell at Maharajganj and Chowk.
It has been mentioned in TantraChuramani that the right thigh of Sati fell in Magadha and it is supposed that the places where it fell are Maharajganj and Chowk where we now have the temples of Bari Patan Devi and Choti Patan Devi. But many do not treat Patna as a Mahapithasthan and say that only a portion of Sati's cloth (pat) had fallen at two places in Patna.
Some, however, doubt whether the name Patna has been derived from the temples.
According to them the name is derived from patan which means a town and Patna was a big place of export and import. In the temple of Bari Patan Devi the three small images of the three goddesses viz., Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and MahaSaraswati arethe legendary three presiding guardian deities who protected Putraka, the founder of Pataliputra, as is mentioned inKathasarit Sagar. In a tank near the temple was found a peculiar stone image. It has been kept in a niche in the eastern verandah of the temple and is now worshipped as a goddess.
Bari Patan Devi Temple:-
Patan Devi also called Maa Patneshwari, is the oldest and one of the most sacred temples of Patna. It is regarded as one of the 51 Siddha Shakti Pithas in India. According to Puranic legends, the 'right thigh' of the corpse of Sati had fallen here when it was chopped off by Lord Vishnu with his 'Sudarshan Chakra'. The ancient temple, originally called Maa Sarvanand Kari Patneshwari, is believed to be the abode of the goddess Durga.
The name of the city Patna is widely believed to have been derived from the name of the Bari Patan Devi Temple. Some however doubt whether the name of Patna is derived from this temple
The temple of Bari Patan Devi faces to the north. At the entrance of the temple there is a portico of about 1, 5' x 15'. After that there is a room of about 8' x 8' for goddesses namely, Mahakali (12"), Maha. Lakshmi (6"), Maha Saraswati (12") and Bhairav (3"). They are in a standing pose on a simhasan, which is about 4" square, the height being about 7 feet. All the statues are of black stone.
They are attired in sari except Bhairav. They are with mukut (crown). Choti Patna Devi temple is to the south-east of the famous Sikh temple of Harmandir, which is the site of the birth-place of Guru Govind Singh. It has the same goddesses as in the Bari Patan Devi. It is claimed by some that the pat or clothes of Sati, wife of Mahadeva, fell from the sky at this place only. In the northern compound of this temple there is a big image of the Sun-god, though broken into two parts.
There are also small images of the Sun-god and of Vishnu and some votive stupas in the western verandah of the temple.Like most of the temples, these temples too have a number of other images. On the right side of the three goddesses and god (and not in their room) there is a statue of Parvati which is made of stone. It is also believed that this statue is one hundred years old. She is also in the Standing pose and located to the north.
On the right side of Parvati there is also a small temple of Lord Shiva, which constructed in 1950. This temple is in an open space and there is a courtyard in front of it. So far as the architecture of the temples is concerned, they have been reconstructed from time to time with liberal use of marble and mosaic slabs. They are in the Brahmanical style. There is no authentic evidence to give us the exact date of the construction of the first temples.
There are no hard and fast rules regarding the timings for visiting the temples. Everybody is allowed to go to the temples from six in the morning, when the morning arti takes place, to ten p.m. in the night. Only when the Maha naivedya is being presented on special occasions, the goddesses are screened off from the public view by a sheet. These two temples are the most important places of local pilgrimage in Patna.
Tuesday is a particularly important visiting day for the devotees. On this day the number of devotees visiting the temples is much more. The newly-weds and the new-born babies are brought to these temples and the blessing of the goddess- es are sought. This is a widely prevalent practice and at least a few dozens of newly married couples or babies are seen every morning. Promises (manatas) are frequently made before the deities and gifts are offered, saris being the common offerings. Goats and pigeons are also offered.
Regarding the worship of the Patan Devi goddesses, the District Gazetteer of Patna has observed: -
"Of the more orthodox deities of the Hindu Pantheon the most popular is Kali, whose chief temple is in Patna City at Kalishthan near Mangle’s tank. In her various forms she is regarded as the tutelary goddess of the City, and there are two old shrines there dedicated to her under the name of Patan Devi, one in the Chowk and the other in Alamganj. Under the form of Sitala all Hindus, from Brahmans down to Doms worship her, wherever there is an epidemic of small-pox. When anyone is attacked by the disease, a small piece of ground near the patient is given sweet-meats and fanned with a twig of the neim, which is here favourite" This custom is still prevalent.
As in many other places, a mela is also held near these temples at the time of Vijayadashmi. On Saptami, Ashtami and Navamiduring the mela about 600 persons come to offer prayers daily at either of the two temples. Visitors generally bring sweets, garlands and fruits to offer to the deities. The priest of the temple takes some quantity of the prasad and returns the rest to the devotees and marks their forehead with rori (red powder). The devotees also give some money to the priest as dakshina.
As regards the routine of the rituals, the deity is daily bathed morning and evening and this is followed by offerings of prasad (fruits and sweetmeats etc.) and arti with the usual reciting of hymns by the priest, accompanied by the ringing of bells.
Bari Patan Devi:-
The Bari Patan Devi Temple, Patna is facing the North, towards the Ganges river. The statues of the temple are all made up in black stone. At the entrance of the temple, there is a portico. After that, there is a room for gods namely, Mahakali, Maha Lakshmi, Maha Saraswati and Bhairav. All the idols are kept on simhasans (thrones) of about 4 squares in cross section and have a height of about 7 feet. First three goddesses are attired in sarees.
Devotees can go to the temple at any tie of the day. The temple does not distinguish between any caste or creed and hence is open for all religions and castes. The temple remains open from morning 6 am to 10 pm. Tuesday is a special day for the devotees and a large number of worshipers visit the temple. Promises are being made before the Goddess and on the fulfillment of the wishes, devotees offer gifts and sarees in the temple.
Chhoti Patan Devi:-
This temple is situated in the Chowk area of Patna City and once was considered as the main presiding deity of Patna. Over the years it has slipped to the second position of eminence, after the Bari Patan Devi temple, as city’s presiding deity, with epithet ‘Choti’ (smaller) to the more popular one, the Bari (bigger) Patan Devi. But a historian called Buchanan was very specific in stating that it was this very temple (Choti Patan Devi) which held the primary position as the city’s presiding deity during 18th and early 19th century.
The present temple does not seem to be of any great antiquity. The images inside the temple, if Buchanan is to be believed, were installed by Man Singh, the famous general of the Mughal emperor Akbar. The temple, however, houses a host of intact and severed Brahmanical images, including, Ganesh, Vishnu and Surya. Beyond the temple, but within its precincts, lie in open fragments of door lintels and yet another set of images. Of these, an impressive, but broken sun-image is the most prominent. According to many historians, it is very likely that some early medieval temple was built here sometime in 9th-11th Century A.D. and these fragmentary stray sculptural/structural relics are only its ruins. Probably, these were reinstalled in a new temple, built during the 16th-17th century by Man Singh. But authentic information on this count is woefully wanting
Patan Devi Temple Timings:-
Patan Devi Temple is open for all devotees at any time of the day. Also, people of any caste or creed can visit the temple as it does not distinguish between them. The timings for the temple are from 6AM to 10PM. Tuesday is considered a special day for all devotees and a large number of worshipers visit the temple. On fulfillment of wishes, people offer gifts and sarees in the temple and promises are also made before the deity.
Rituals and Beliefs:-
The deities at the temple are given a ceremonial bath (abhishek) daily in the morning followed by doop, deep and Nyvaidya. Daily morning Aarti accompanied by customary recitation of hymns is offered to the goddess. Tuesday is considered to be most auspicious day for visiting the Patan Devi temples. Usually newly married couple or new born babies are brought to the temple for seeking the blessings of the deities.
It is said that whenever there is an epidemic of small pox in the city, people pray to Patan Devi by offering sweets to the deities. This practice is prevalent even to this day in Patna.
Festivals in Patan Devi temple:-
Makar Sankranti, Sharad Purnima, Deepawali, Somvati Amavasya, Ram Navami are some of the other important festivals being celebrated here.
Vijayadashmi mela or fair is quite popular here and is celebrated with great devotion and harmony.
People (Almost every day) offer their offering to the god in form of fruit, milk, homemade sweets etc.
Navratri that falls two times in a year- one in the month of March or April and other in the September or October month depending on the Hindu calendar, is among the major festival here. Navratri are celebrated for over 9 days, with some people not eating any type of food that is derived from the soil for these nine days. Special ceremonies and rituals are carried during these days.
Another festival that is celebrated with great enthusiasm is the ‘Shiv Ratri’ and during this day, people keep fast, pour milk on the Shiv Lingam and offers ‘Bail’ (A type of fruit) to the god idol.
Near by Temples:-
Mahavir Mandir:-
One of the most famous Hindu temples that are dedicated to the monkey God Lord Hanuman, the Mahavir Mandir is located in front of the Patna junction and this is the second most visited religious shrine of North India.
Birla Temple:-
This is a great place to visit. This temple is a great tourist attraction to visit. Birla Temple is located in many big cities including Delhi, Jaipur, Bhopal etc.
There are many famous temples like Shri Mahavir Mandir, Durga Temple, Patliputra Karuna Stupa. These are the well-known places where devotees and other tourist visit while touring this city. There are many other Hanuman Temple but Mahavir Temple is the most important and sacred as well as auspicious temple.
Near by Places:-
Kumrahar:-
Kumrahar is an exhibition hall which lets us know the rich history of Patna. It is located 5kms away from Patna. It lets us know the cultural excellence of the ancient Patliputra city. This place contains the architectural remains of Mauryan Palace. It was during the excavation done between 1912 to 1915, people came to know about the Mauryan pillared hall.
Golghar:-
It was built in 1786 by Captain John Garstin to store grains when famine hit the city. This architecture is built in Stupa style. Golghar is 125 meters wide and 3.6 meters thick. This architecture has steps which will take you upstairs. It is the tallest building in Patna. the scene outside Golghar is very beautiful as river Ganga can be seen gushing beneath.
Patna Museum:-
It is situated in the centre of the city. It has the capacity to take you to the ancient lane. It was constructed in 1917 and is the oldest museum in Patna. It has a Mughal and Rajput flavor. The construction done here is of Mughal and Rajput style. It possesses more than 45000 artefacts.
Agam Kuan:-
Agam Kuan is also referred to as The Unfathomable Well. It reflects the effects taken by Diwan Bahadur Radha Krishna Jalan which is considered to be extraordinary. Diwan Bahadur Radha Krishna Jalan was behind the construction and the collections of Agam Kuan.
Sanjay Gandhi Botanical Garden:-
The another place where one should definitely go is Sanjay Gandhi Botanical Garden. It was established in 1969 and has more than 110 species of wild animals. Animals which are found here are tigers, white tigers, hippopotamus, lions, monkeys etc. There is a facility to take the tour of the zoo through battery-operated cars. There is also Toy train facility which takes you to the gardens of the zoo. This zoo also has boating facilities. Boating is done in the pond created in the centre of the zoo.
There are various places where one can go while touring in Patna. There are places like Jalan Museum, Sri Krishna Science Centre, Patna Planetarium, Khuda Baksh National Library, Nalanda University, Buddha Smriti Park, Jalmandir Temple, Begu Hajjam’s Mosque etc.
Reaching Patna Bihar:-
By Air:-
Being a capital city, Patna is well connected by airways. Lok Nayak Jayaprakash International Airport, popularly known as Patna Airport, serves as an important transit point for domestic as well as international tourists. Many prominent airlines like Air India, Jet Airways, Indigo, Kingfisher & Go Air operates regular daily flights to the major inbound cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune and outbound destinations as well. The airport is located at a distance of 10 km from the main city centre.
By Rail:-
Patna has its own junction in the eastern railway route, serving as a key rail head for tourists as well as commuters traveling to and from the city. Patna railway station is just 4 km away from the city centre. This junction connects the city to the major cities of India like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Varanasi and Amritsar etc. It also serves as a major transit point for many express and super fast trains, connecting various parts of India.
By Road:-
Patna is well connected by an extensive road network system to the major tourist destinations nearby. The national highway 19, 30, 31 83 connect Patna to all the major cities of India. You can either avail the state bus service or go for private operators. There are luxury buses that ply on this route.
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