Aranya Devi Temple, Arrah

Aranya Devi Temple is a Hindu temple located in Arrah of Bihar in India. Ara, the headquarters of Bhojpur district is named after the goddess of this temple. The goddess established here is considered to be the presiding deity of the city and is the deity of the people there.[1]

Aranya Devi Temple
Maa Aranya Devi
Maa Aranya Devi
Religion
AffiliationHinduism, Buddhism
DistrictBhojpur
DeityAranyani (believed)[2]
Location
LocationArrah
StateBihar
CountryIndia
India's Bihar state in light yellow
India's Bihar state in light yellow
Position in Bihar
Geographic coordinates25.5678967°N 84.6729917°E / 25.5678967; 84.6729917
Website
Aranya Devi Temple Official Website
See also: Aranyani

According to Devi Bhagwat Purana, this temple, recognized from Satyug to Kaliyug, is also a Siddhipeeth along with 108 Shaktipeeths.[3] The building of the temple is not very old but there is a description of worship from ancient times. Many legends are prevalent about this temple established in 2005. It is associated with the Mahabharata period. It is also linked to the context of Lord Rama's visit to Janakpur.[4]

At present, due to the dilapidated condition of the temple building, a new multi-storey building is under construction by demolishing the old one.[5][6]

Mythology

The temple established in 2005 is situated at the Sheesh Mahal Chowk at north-east end of the city. The temple goddess is widely considered to be the presiding deity of the city. It is said that when Lord Rama, Lakshmana and Maharishi Vishvamitra were going to Janakpur via Buxar for the Dhanush Yagna, Maharishi Vishvamitra had told Lord Rama and Lakshmana about the glory of Aranya Devi. Thereafter, they bathed here in the Ganges and worshipped Goddess Adishakti and then crossed the Sonbhadra river.[7]

The story is also that there was only the idol of Adishakti at that place in ancient times. There was a forest around this temple. The Pandavas stayed in Arrah during their exile. Pandavas worshiped Adishakti. The goddess indicated in a dream to the eldest Pandava Dharmaraj Yudhishthira that he should install the statue of Maa Aranya Devi. Then Dharmaraj Yudhishthir installed the statue of Aranya Devi here.[8] King Mayurdhwaj used to rule this place in Dvapara Yuga. During his reign, Lord Krishna came here with Pandu's son Arjuna. Shri Krishna, testing the king's charity, asked the king for the meat of his son's right organ for his lion's food. When the king and queen started tearing their son apart for meat with a saw, the goddess appeared and gave them darshan.[9]

Where the big statue installed in this temple is said to be the form of Saraswati, the smaller statue is said to be the form of Mahalakshmi.[10] In this temple, in the year 1953, apart from Shri Ram, Lakshman, Sita, Bharat, Shatrughan and Hanuman ji, the idols of other deities were installed.

Is it Buddha or Aranya Devi?

History

Over the time, many people have claimed that this site is actually a Buddhist site[11]. On 25th October, 2023, a person went to the disputed site and by mistake the reality is claimed to have been exposed. On the Bottom Left part of the Idol, there seemed to be a head of lord Buddha.

The Bhim Army has also taken cognizance of this fact and demanded an ASI Survey on the disputed place.

This has been the story of all the major Hindu Temples of India. For example, Jagannath Puri is also believed to be a Buddha Vihar and not a temple. Sabrimala also has similar claims. Similarly, other places like Konark has clear proof of being a Dhamma Chakra which is appropriated as a Hindu Temple.

Thus, Authentic facts can only be inferred once an ASI Survey is conducted on the disputed site.

References
  1. "मां आरण्य देवी मंदिर का अद्भुत है इतिहास, देखें Video:रामायण काल से जुड़ी है कहानी, देवी के नाम पर ही रखा गया शहर का नाम; मन्नत पूरी होने तक घी के बड़े दीये जलाते हैं श्रद्धालु". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). 2021.
  2. Dalal, Roshen (2010). The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths. India: Penguin Books India. p. 28. ISBN 9780143415176.
  3. "माता का वो शक्तिपीठ जहां पूरी होती है अधूरी मनोकामना, मत्स्य पुराण में भी स्वरूप का वर्णन". Zee News (in Hindi). 22 Sep 2020.
  4. "VIDEO:यहां 'आरण्य' देवी की पूजा करके भगवान राम ने तोड़ा था धनुष, पढ़ें रोचक मान्यताएं". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). 27 Sep 2017.
  5. "Bihar: Ara's 2 oldest landmarks to get a facelift". The Times of India. 10 Nov 2022.
  6. "सार्वजनिक प्रदर्शन:108 फीट ऊंचा बनेगा आरण्य देवी का नया मंदिर". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). 2022.
  7. "Arrah: Aranya Devi Mandir की कहानी, जहां सीता वरण से पहले राम ने की थी शक्ति पूजा". News18 (in Hindi). 9 April 2022.
  8. "आरा शहर की अधिष्ठात्री हैं आरण्य देवी, महाभारतकाल से हो रही पूजा". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). 6 Oct 2022.
  9. "Navratri: यहां के राजा मयूरर्ध्वज के सामने प्रकट हुईं थी देवी". Hindustan (in Hindi). 28 Sep 2022.
  10. "आरा में आरण्य देवी मंदिर का जीर्णोद्धार, जीयर स्वामी ने किया शिलान्यास, बोले- सौभाग्य की बात". Navbharat Times (in Hindi). 10 Jun 2022.
  11. "Is it Lord Buddha or Aranya Devi?". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 2023-10-27.
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