Gaya Peetham-Sarvamangala devi Temple

Overview

The name Bihar is derived from the ancient word "Vihara" which means monastery. The state is indeed a land of monasteries. Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Muslim and Sikh shrines abound in this ancient land where India's first major empires rose and fell. It has the ruins of the worlds' earliest university slumbers in the void of time. The passage of Ganga, flowing wide and deep enrich the plains of Bihar before distributing in Bengal's deltoid zone.

Among other Indian states, Bihar is the most intimately linked to the Buddha’s life, resulting in a trail of pilgrimages which have come to be known as the Buddhist circuit. The Buddhist trail begins at the capital city, Patna, where a noteworthy museum contains a collection of Hindu and Buddhist sculptures as well as a terracotta urn said to contain the ashes of Lord Buddha. The Khuda Baksh Oriental Library has rare Muslim manuscripts including some from the University of Cordoba in Spain. 40 km away, Vaishali, was the site for the second Buddhist Council is the presence of ruins testify. 90 kilometres to the South of Patna is Nalanda, which was the place that conferred the lotus of spiritual knowledge. A monastic university flourished here from the 5th to the 11th century. It is said to have contained nine million books, with 2,000 teachers to impart knowledge to 10,000 students who came from all over the Buddhist world. Lord Buddha himself taught here and Hieun Tsang, the 7th century Chinese traveller, was a student. Ongoing excavations have uncovered temples, monasteries and lecture halls. Rajgir, ‘the royal palace’, 12 km south, was the venue for the first Buddhist Council.

The Buddha spent five years at Rajgir after having attained enlightenment, and many of the remains at Rajgir commemorate various incidents related to life of Buddha, the hill of Gridhrakuta being perhaps the most important, as this is where the Buddha delivered most of his sermons. Bodhgaya is the spot where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, with the Mahabodhi Temple marking the precise location. This landlocked state of Bihar is surrounded by Nepal, Bengal, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and comprises four cultural regions-Bhojpur, Mithila and Magadha and Chotanagpur. Rivers Kosi and Gandak from the north and Sone from the south join the Ganga. In the fertile plains, rice, sugarcane, oilseeds, gram, maize, jute, barley and wheat are cultivated.

About The Temple

It is a very old temple built in 15th century. We have to climb up a small hillock to reach the temple. The steps route is in between houses of local people. At the starting of steps route there is temple of Bhima (One of Five Pandavas). We can see his knee impression here. Here Bhima did Shraddhakarma, hence called as Bhimvedi Gaya. The Mangla Gauri temple in Gaya, Bihar, India has been mentioned in Padma Purana, Vayu Purana and Agni Purana and in other scriptures and tantric works. The present temple dates back to 15th century.After climbing around 200 steps we will reach Mangala Gowri temple campus. There are several temples in that campus. The shrine is dedicated to Shakti or the mother Goddess in the predominantly Vaishnavite pilgrimage center of Gaya. Mangalagauri is worshiped as the Goddess of benevolence. This temple constitutes an Upa-Shakti Pitha - where it is believed that a part of the body of Shakti fell - according to mythology. Here Shakti is worshiped in the form of a breast symbol, a symbol of nourishment. It is believed that whoever comes to maa durga with his wishes and prayers, returns successfully with all of prayers and wishes come true.

The temple is facing east, and is built on top of the Mangalagauri hill. A flight of steps and a motorable road lead to the temple. The sanctum houses the symbol of the Goddess and it also has some finely carved ancient relief sculptures. A small hall or mandap stands in front of the temple. The courtyard also houses a fire pit for the home. There are also two minor shrines dedicated to Shiva and images of Mahishasura Mardini, Durga and Dakshina Kali. Main temple is very small temple and only 2 to 3 members can go into the temple at a time. There is no idol in the temple. We can see Breast of Satidevi in deepa lighting. Lord Shiva also present in the form of Shivaling beside maa. Some Tantriks will offer Bali to Mother Goddess. The temple complex encompasses of temples of Maa Kali, Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman and Lord Shiva.

Holy Places at Gaya

Someshwara Temple is dedicated to Hindu God Shiva.

Phalgu River

It is said that Agni Purana has explained the river Phalgu as a combination of Phala(merit) + Gau (wish fulfillingcow) and its etymology implies that the river manifeststhe highest power of piousness added with merit. It is said that as per Vayu Puranathe river Phalgu is considered to be superior to the river Gangessince it is the liquidform of Lord Vishnu whereas Ganges has originated from the foot of Lord Vishnu.Two streams Lilajan (Niranjara) and Mohana originating from a hill called KorambePahar about 75km south of Gaya meet together to form the river Phalgu at Gaya. It isa tributary of river Ganges and most of the time it is said to remain dry due to a cursegiven by Goddess Sita Devi.

Vishnupad Temple

Vishnupad Temple is marked by a footprint of Vishnu. This footprint is the significance of the act of Lord Vishnu crushing Gayasur under his foot. The temple that stands today was rebuilt by Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar in the 18th century. As per the Buddhist tradition and culture, this footstep mark is regarded that of Lord Buddha who is said to be the avatar of Vishnu. The temples and the Ghats that are present by the River Falgu are also of great spiritual significance. Some trees are also held sacred by the Hindus and in Gaya one would find Pipal trees, Akshayavat and the undying Banyan which are also offered prayers and offerings in huge numbers by the pilgrims coming into the city.

Gaya is held as an important spiritual center by Hindus as a site which offers salvation to the souls. Buddhists hold Gaya as an important pilgrimage center because of the presence of the Brahmayoni or the Gayasia hill where Buddha preached the Fire Sermon or the Adittapariyaya Sutta.

Akshayavata (Imperishable Banyan Tree)

It is said that as per Mythology at the time of deluge (Pralaya) when the entire earthgot submerged into water Lord Maha Vishnu slept on the leaf of Banyan Tree in the form of a child. Lord Maha Vishnu is also called by name Vatapathra Sai. Thisbanyan tree is said to be in existence since time immemorial, undecaying andperpetual. Symbolized as a link between earth and heaven where ancestral rites areperformed as a part of Gaya Shraaddha. Generally once in a year every banyan treereleases all its leaves, but it is said that this Akshayavat tree does not release itsleaves at all and remain green always even in draught condition. It is said that thetree has existed since Thretha Yuga when Sitadevi gave a boon that the tree wouldremain immortal. It is located in the courtyard of Vishnupada temple.

Gadadhar Vishnu temple

Next to vishnupad temple just on the banks of Phalgu river is temple of Gadadhar Vishnu. The beautiful black deity is 4 armed form of lord- especially carrying gada(mace) to deliver devotes from evil forces.

Stupa Sita Temple

Stupa Sita III Temple is an ancient shrine situated in Nalanda, Bihar. The temple is a rectangular structure with its lofty sanctum is approached by flight of steps with parapet walls decorated with figures of lions. It has four, stupa-like corner towers, which are beautifully decorated with niches containing Buddhist stucco images.

Ram Gaya and Sita Kunda

Exactly opposite to Vishnu pad temple but on the other banks of phalgu river is a small temple depicting the spot where sita devi performed pinda dana for her father-in-law. This lila is depicted in form of a beautiful deity of sita devi offering the pinda with sand balls of river phalguni(now phalgu) & hand of Dashrath appearing from the earth to accept it.

Jalmandir

Jalmandir is a white marble temple located at Pawapuri in Patna District of Bihar. It is situated in the middle of a tank with lotuses. The temple is dedicated to Lord Mahavir, the last and 24th Tirthankar of the Jain religion. There is a long bridge (over 40 ft long and 4 ft in width) inside the tank for reaching the temple. The surroundings of the temple are furnished by a well-kept garden. Legend has it that the tank was formed as a result of the mass removal of sand from around the funeral pyre of Lord Mahavir, in order to meet the demand for his ashes. Samosaram and Naya Mandir are two famous Jain temples situated nearby. Pawapuri is about 38 km from Rajgir. Nearest railway station is at Gaya.

Prapithamaheswara Temple

This is an ancient temple of Lord Shiva called Prapithamaheswara who is said to be awitness deity for the performance of sacred rites to ancestors at Gaya. Its reference issaid to have been mentioned in Agni Purana. It is an east facing temple adjacent totwo hills called Brahmayoni and Vasmakuta.

Dhakshinaarka Temple (Sun Temple)

It is an ancient temple dedicated to Sun God facing east, where ancestral rites are alsoperformed at the Surya Kunda in front of the temple. It is close to Vishnu PaadaTemple. Large number of devotees visit the Sun related sites in Gaya during themonths of Chaitra and Karthikacorresponding to March-April and October-November months in a year. It is said that Chhath festival (worship of Sun God asthe Mother) is a popular festival celebrated in Bihar. It is believed that as perMahabharatha worship of Sun God is described as a fasting ritual and the traditionhas been maintained since then.

Prethashila

Prethashila, the hill of the ghosts is one of the three symbolic primal objects of natureat Gaya. It is lying at a distance of about 8km to the north east of Vishnupada templewhere the sacred rites are required to be performed first before even visiting thetemple. It is said as per Mahabharatha that by performing rituals at this site one canget released even from the sin of killing a Brahman(Brahmahatya dosha). It is saidthat Vayu Purana mentions that one has to offer Pindas to ancestors on its summit,take a holy bath in the Brahma Kunda at the foot of the hill and offer its water to the divinities. It is believed that Lord Brahma had performed Ashwamedha Yaga at this place.

Brahmayoni Temple

Brahmayoni Temple In Gaya, Bihar Brahmayoni Temple, located at a distance of one kilometre to the south-west of the Vishnupad Temple, is one of the major attractions of Gaya. For those visiting the temple need to climb up 424 high stone steps so as to reach the top of the hill. In addition, the temple perched atop a hill offers tourists beautiful views of the city. On the hill where this temple is located, there are two caves, namely, Brahmayoni and Matreyoni along with an ancient temple of Astabhujadevi.

Bawan Pokhar Temple

It is an old temple of Vaishali. It is situated on the northern banks of Bawan Pokhar. It was built during the Pala period and comprises some significant images of several Hindu Gods. Patan Devi Temple is a magnificent temple, located in the Chowk area of Patna. The temple comprises into two temples, Bari (big) Patan Devi Temple and Chhoti (small) Patan Devi Temple. It widely believed that the name of this district has been inspired by the name of the Patan Devi Temples.The small or the Chhoti Patan Devi Temple stands in the Chowk area of Patna. This temple is more popular in comparison to the Bari Patan Devi Temple. The temple consists of various idols of Lord Ganesh, Surya and Lord Vishnu.

On the other hand, Bari Patan Devi Temple is near the Ganga River and faces the northern side. The main attraction of the temple is that of the idols at the entrance of goddesses Mahakali, Maha Lakshmi, Maha Saraswati and Bhairav made in black stones.

Mahavir Mandir

It is one of the most prominent and well-renowned temples in Bihar, which is enshrined with the deity of Lord Hanuman. The initiation of this temple is unknown, however according to historical facts, this temple is said to be established by Swami Balanand, who was a disciplinary of Ramanandi Sect during 1730 AD.

This is the only temple of the country, where the donation made to the priest while performing ceremonies also goes to the temple’s trust. It is definitely the first temple in the northern India to utilise its entire donation in religious projects or programmes that involve helping and aiding the poor.

Ratnaghara Temple

The entire seven weeks of Buddha’s meditation were done in different locations within the complex and one of them is the Ratnaghara, a charming and roofless temple. In one of those seven weeks, Indradev and Lord Brahma created a marvelous hall studded with the seven valuable elements for the Lord to meditate. During his meditation, the Buddha’s body radiated rays of five colors and illuminated the close by Bodhi tree.

Dungeshwari Cave Temples

Dungeshwari Cave Temples also known as Mahakala Caves, is situated 12 km north-east of Bodhgaya, Bihar. There are three caves containing Buddhist shrines, where the Buddha is believed to have meditated.

Lakshmi Narayan Temple

Lakshmi Narayan Temple in Rajgir of Nalanda District in Bihar, is devoted to Lord Vishnu and his consort, Goddess Lakshmi. Painted in pink, this sacred temple stands beside the Saptadhara - a group of seven hot springs.

Durga Mandir

Durga Mandir is situated at Bettiah, in West Champaran District, Bihar. The temple enshrines Goddess Durga as the presiding deity. Durga Puja, held in remembrance of the victory of Durga over Mahishasura, is celebrated with great pomp and festivity.Harikatora Temple is located in Vaishali of Bihar. It is believed to have been built during the Gupta period. The highlight here is an image of Lord Kartikeya, which is in a sitting posture on a peacock.

Shyama Temple, in Darbhanga

This temple, devoted to Goddess Kali, is one of the most prominent temples built upon the private graveyard of the Darbhanga royal family. The temple is famed for its beauty.

Patliputra Teerth

The Patliputra Teerth is situated at Patna in Bihar State. The temple is managed by a trust called Shri Patna Jain shwetambar Mandir Trust and is dedicated to the Jain god Bhagvan Vimalnath Swami. The ancient, beautiful idol of Bhagvan Vimalnath Swami, nearly 60cm high, is white in colour and seated in the Padmasan posture. Patna city is important to the Jains because many prosperous Jains and saints lived in this city during the ancient times.

Bari Patan Devi Temple

Bari Patan Devi Temple is a magnificent shrine located in Patna, Bihar. The temple enshrines the black stone idols of Goddess Kali, Goddess Lakshmi, GoddessSaraswati and Bhairav in a standing posture. The Choti Patan Devi Temple, situated in the vicinity, is worth visiting. It is believed that Patna derives its name after the Bari Patan and Choti Patan Devi temples.

Choti Patan Devi Temple

Choti Patan Devi Temple is a magnificent shrine located at Patna City Chowk, in Patna, Bihar. The temple enshrines the black stone idols of Goddess Kali, Goddess Lakshmi and GoddessSaraswati. The temple is situated south-east of the famous Sikh temple of Harmandir - the birth place of Guru Govind Singh. The Bari Patan Devi Temple, situated in the vicinity, is worth visiting.

Ramna's Tripur Sundari Temple

Ramna"s Tripur Sundari Temple attracts millions of Devotees Due to its aesthetic beauty and richness. A wealthy man, Shri Umashankar Prasad built this Beautiful and magnificent temple on 28th June 1941. It is said that it is really surprising to see that a man made temple attracts such big gathering of Devotees. This temple is also famous by the name of "Devi Temple" and Ma"s beautiful idol mesmerizes one and all.

Shyama Kali Temple

Built in 1933, Shyama Temple is housed in the Lalit Narayan Mithila University, in the heart of Darbhanga. This temple, devoted to Goddess Kali, is one of the most prominent temples built upon the private graveyard of the Darbhanga royal family. The temple is famed for its beauty.

Bawan Pokhar Temple

Bawan Pokhar Temple is sited on the northern banks of Bawan Pokhar Tank in Vaishali of Bihar. It is believed to have been built during the Pallava period. The temple houses an interesting array of basalt black images of several deities, which date back to the Gupta and Pallava periods. Besides, a four headed Shivling made of black basalt was excavated from here. There is a Jain temple, which is famous for the image of Tirthankar, behind the temple. Points of interest nearby include a Lotus Tank, which was once popular among the Lichchhavis.

Baba Garibnath Temple

Baba Garibnath Temple situated in the center of the Muzaffarpur town is undoubtedly one of the most famous "Lord Shiva" temples ! Its history goes like this-There was a Landlord in ancient times who owned the land where the present temple is. There was a huge Banyan tree in the premises of the temple which provided shade and relief to many people. It is also called second "Baidhnath".

Chaturbhuj Sthan Temple

Chaturbhuj Temple, situated in Muzaffarpur, is famous for its spirituality and faith. In 1303 century, in a village called "Turki", a big idol of "Lord Chaturbhuj" was found. People started worshipping the lord with full devotion but it seems the lord desired something else!

Shri Ram Temple

Shri Ram temple is one of the famous religious places. Situated at "Sahu Pokhar" in Muzaffarpur, it"s status was kept as one of the "Navratna" temples. It is said that it was made by artists from Rajasthan. Later Shri Shiv Prasad Sahu of Sahu family took over the order and care taking of the temple and still Sahu family is doing the same. Within the premises the biggest temple is of "Shri Ram and Mata Janaki". Beside that "Mahadev" temple is there whose Shivling is India"s third largest Shivling.

Kali Mata Temple

This great temple is an icon of faith, worship and belief on Ma. It is situated on the south coast of "Gandak" river. Possibly, it was made in the year of 1932 by Darbhanga Maharaj Kamlesh Singh. Devotees come in masses to worship Ma. This temple is believed to be built by Darbhanga Maharaj Kamlesh Singh in 1932. Thousands of devotees from far and near visit the shrine every year.

Mahabodhi Temple In Bodh Gaya

Mahabodhi Temple In Bodh Gaya, Bihar The Mahabodhi Temple is a Buddhist temple in Bodh Gaya, the location where Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, is said to have attained enlightenment. Bodh Gaya (located in Gaya district) is located about 96 km (60 mi) from Patna, Bihar state, India. Next to the temple, to its western side, is the holy Bodhi tree. In the Pali Canon, the site is called Bodhimanda,and the monastery there the Bodhimanda Vihara. The tallest tower is 55 metres (180 ft) tall. The construction uses the styles of Dravidian Architecture, as opposed to Nagara Temple style.

The Giant Buddha Statue-Vishal Buddha Mandir In Gaya, Bihar

The Giant Buddha Statue is one of the many stops in the Buddhist pilgrimage and tourist routes in Bodhgaya, Bihar. The statue is 25 m (82 ft) high in meditation pose or dhyana mudra seated on a lotus in open air. It took seven years to complete with the help of 120,000 masons. It is a mix of sandstone blocks and red granite. It is possibly the largest built in India and was consecrated on 18 November 1989 by the 14th Dalai Lama.The foundation stone for the statue was placed in 1982. The statue is made of red granite and sandstone blocks.

Chinese Temple

Chinese Temple In Gaya, Bihar The Chinese Buddhist monks have erected a beautiful Buddha temple in the vicinity of the Bodhi temple complex. As is the case with other foreign Buddha temples in the area, the temple exteriors reflect rich Chinese architecture and have been liberally decorated with typical Chinese designs.

Indosan Nippon Japanese Temple

Indosan Nippon Japanese Temple In Gaya, Bihar Indosan Nippon Japanese Temple, located at a distance of 15 km from the heart of the city, is one of the most famous temples of Bodh Gaya. Carved with Buddhist preaching, the temple reflects Japanese architecture and is beautifully carved out of wood.

Cankamana Shrine is one of the revered shrines positioned along the Bodhi Temple. The shrine features various articles that were purified by the presence of Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha’s feet have been carved into black stone lotuses towards the northern fringe of the temple.

Vietnamese Temple

Vietnamese Temple In 2002, the Vietnam Government decided to construct a temple dedicated to the Buddha near Bodhi temple. The construction has taken the best of latest technology and architecture to produce a stunning shrine along with the serene and lovely surroundings. A wonderful serene looking and smiling Buddha idol known as the Avalokiteswara statue (the peaceful Buddha) has been erected within the temple.

Thai Temple

Thai temple is located in Gaya District. It is a beautiful temple with sloping roofs and gold lacquered tiles. The temple houses the image of a magnificent Buddha with curly hair. In order to accommodate devotees and Thai Buddhist monks, rooms are provided behind the temple.

Bhutan Temple

Bhutan Temple is located close to Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya of Bihar. A popular pilgrim spot, the temple is built in Bhutan architectural style.

About the Deity

The Sarvamangala Gauri temple in Gaya, Bihar, India has been mentioned in Padma Purana, Vayu Purana and Agni Purana and in other scriptures and tantric works. The present temple dates back to 15th century. The shrine is dedicated to Shakti or the mother Goddess in the predominantly Vaishnavite pilgrimage center of Gaya. Mangalagauri is worshiped as the Goddess of benevolence. This temple constitutes an Upa-Shakti Pitha – where it is believed that a part of the body of Shakti fell – according to mythology. Here Shakti is worshiped in the form of a breast symbol, a symbol of nourishment. It is believed that whoever comes to maa durga with his wishes and prayers, returns successfully with all of prayers and wishes come true. The temple is facing east, and is built on top of the Mangalagauri hill. A flight of steps and a motorable road lead to the temple. The sanctum houses the symbol of the Goddess and it also has some finely carved ancient relief sculptures. A small hall or mandap stands in front of the temple. The courtyard also houses a fire pit for the home. There are also two minor shrines dedicated to Shiva and images of Mahishasura Mardini, Durga and Dakshina Kali.

Gaya Mangalya gourika

The Mangalagauri temple in Gaya (Bihar) has been mentioned in Padma Purana, Vayu Purana and Agni Purana and in other scriptures and tantric works. The present temple dates back to 1459 AD. The shrine is dedicated to Shakti or the mother Goddess in the predominantly Vaishnavite pilgrimage center of Gaya. Mangalagauri is worshiped as the Goddess of benevolence. This temple constitutes an Upa-Shakti Pitha - where it is believed that a part of the body of Shakti fell - according to mythology. Here Shakti is worshiped in the form of a breast symbol, a symbol of nourishment.The temple is facing east, and is built on top of the Mangalagauri hill. A flight of steps and a motorable road lead to the temple. The sanctum houses the symbol of the Goddess and it also has some finely carved ancient relief sculptures. A small hall or mandap stands in front of the temple. The courtyard also houses a fire pit for the home. There are also two minor shrines dedicated to Shiva and images of Mahishasura MardiniGaya is one of the most famous spiritual destinations in India. Gaya is located in Bihar and stands on the bank of Falgu River. Gaya in India is held holy and pious by both Hindu and Buddhists. The narrow by lanes with age old buildings, beautiful natural surroundings with rocky hills on the three sides and river flowing by the city on the western side makes the city look beautiful and elates the spiritual atmosphere of the place.

About Idol: The Mangla Gauri shrine in Gaya, one of the most holy sites has two rounded stones which symbolizes the breasts of the Goddess Sati, who is regarded as the first wife of Lord Shiva.

Legend and stories

History of Gaya

Documented history of Gaya dates back to the birth of Gautam Buddha. About 15 km from Gaya town is Bodh Gaya, the place where Gautam Buddha got enlightenment. Since then the places around Gaya (Rajgir, Nalanda, Vaishali, Patliputra) had been the citadel of knowledge for the ancient world. These centers of knowledge further flourished under the rule of dynasties like the Mauryans who ruled from Patliputra (modern Patna) and covered the area beyond the boundaries of the Indian subcontinent. During this period, Gaya was a part of the Magadh region.

Modern history

In modern Indian history, Gaya played an important role in the freedom movement. Though Gaya may not have produced many great leaders during that era, the common people from Gaya participated in the freedom struggle. Many national level conferences were organized in Gaya during that period. In 1922, the national level meeting of Indian National Congress was held in Gaya. It was in this session that Chittaranjan Das, the President of the Gaya session of Indian National Congress, remarked, trial "At the moment Rajendra Prasad appears to be the sole excuse for a further honest trial of Gandhism to solve a political problem". Also, one of the famous 'Seven Martyrs', the seven young men who sacrificed their lives in the Quit India movement of August 1942, was from Gaya.

Several freedom fighters were lodged in Gaya Central Jail. One of them was the nephew of Yogendra Shukla, Baikunth Shukla who was convicted and hanged in Gaya Central Jail on May 14th, 1934 at a young age of 28 years.

Importance to Hindu Mythology

Gaya derives its name from the mythological demon Gayasur (which literally means Gaya the holy demon), demon (asur, a Sanskrit word) and Gaya. Over its history dating millennia, the word asur got deleted and the name Gaya remained in currency. Lord Vishnu killed Gayasur, the holy demon by using the pressure of his foot over him. This incident transformed Gayasur into the series of rocky hills that make up the landscape of the Gaya city. Gaya was so holy that he had the power to absolve the sins of those who touched him or looked at him; after his death many people have flocked to Gaya to perform shraddha sacrifices on his body to absolve the sins of their ancestors. Gods and goddesses had promised to live on Gayasur's body after he died, and the hilltop protuberances of Gaya are surmounted by temples to various gods and goddesses. These hilltop temples at Rama Shila, Mangla Gauri, Shringa Sthan and Brahmayoni are part of the pilgrimage circuit, and grand staircases have been built up to most of them.

Legend related to Gaya Mahatmya

(Significance of ancestral rites at Gaya)In olden times there lived a sage by name Dhaibhya who once went to GayaKshetraand performed sacred rites (Pinda Pradhana) to his forefathers with utmostdevotion and after that started doing penance at this place. One day while he wasdoing penance a cosmic plane appeared before him and a divine person got downfrom it and asked him why was he doing this penance? Then the sage Dhaibhyainreply asked the cosmic person to disclose his details.The cosmic person told the sage that he was the Brahma Manasa Puthra and brother of Rudra called Sanathkumara who lives in one of the urdhva lokas (Jano loka). He further said, O’ Sage “you have performed Pinda Pradhana at Gaya Kshetra with theresult the entire Brahma Vamsa got the benefit and I have come here to bless you andshow my affinity towards you.” On further questioning by sage as to how his actionhad benefited, Sanathkumara started narrating an incident related to GayaMahatmya.In olden timesthere lived a king called Vishala who was a highly spiritual and religious minded person ruling his kingdom in Dharma Marga. His only shortfall was lack of children. On being advised by his purohits the king went to GayaKshetraand performed sacred rites to his forefathers (Pinda Dana, Thila Tharpana). While doing so there appeared three persons in the sky who were in three differentcolours (white, red and black) and they started glaring at the King with love andaffection.On being asked the white colored person started telling that, “he was his father, thered colored person was his grandfather who had committed lot of sins while hewas alive and the black coloured person was his great grandfather who also hadcommitted similar worst sins during his life time. Due to this they were suffering inthe hell. Because of good deeds done, I have (white colored person) acquired the heavenly status.” Now, due to your visit to the Gaya Kshetra and performing sacredrites (Pinda daana) your grandfather and great grandfather have been released fromthe hell and have joined me in the heaven. Thus you are responsible for the liberation of your forefathers from the hell by performing Pinda Pradhana and Tharpana at Gaya Kshetra. Now we are happily going to Pitru Loka and have comehere to see you and bless you. After this incident the king Vishala returned to his kingdom and soon was blessedwith a son. Hence, this place (Gaya) has acquired lot of significance and Lord MahaVishnu holding macein his hand is residing here. Thus spoke Sanathkumara to thesage Dhaibhya and disappeared.

Festivals

Rituals, Festivals and Fairs: There are several Banyan trees, Pipal trees which people worship. Several fairs are organised in Gaya. Animals fair is held twice in a year on the banks of river Phalgu opposite the Vishnu pad temple.

Arti / Pooja / seva

Priests perform regular pujas and rituals. There is no idol in the main sanctum. The symbol of goddess' breast is worshipped. Tuesdays are considered auspicious to visit the shrine. Married women observe the Mangala Gauri Vrat on Tuesday during the Shravan month.

Prasad and Offering

Prasad and offerings include flowers, sweets, fruits and red chunri.

Significance

This shrine is dedicated to Shakti or the mother Goddess in the predominantly Vaishnavite pilgrimage center of Gaya. Mangalagowri is worshipped as the Goddess of benevolence. This temple constitutes an Upa-Shakti Pitha - where it is believed that a part of the body of Shakti fell - according to mythology. It is a well visited temple where Shakti is worshipped in the form of a breast symbol, a symbol of nourishment.

Accessibility

Airport

Gaya is well connected to the rest of India and the world by roadways, railways and airways. The city has the only operating international airport in Bihar and Jharkhand. It has domestic operations for Kolkata, New Delhi and Varanasi, while international flights are for Bangkok, Yangon and Colombo.

Railways

The nearest railway station is Gaya Jn. (5 km). Bodhgaya is well connected by road to Gaya (17 km), Nalanda (101 km), Rajgir (78 km), Patna (135 km), Varanasi (252 km), Calcutta (495 km)

Road

City Bus, Taxis, Tongas, Auto Rickshaws, Cycle Rickshaws are available. Regular direct bus services are available from Gaya to Patna, Nalanda, Rajgir, Varanasi, Ranchi, Tata (Jamshedpur), Kolkata and Dhanbad. Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation and Bihar State Road Transport Corporation run buses to Patna, Ranchi, Jamshedpur and other major cities.

Temple Address

Gaya Peetham-Sarvamangala devi Temple,
Gaya Bihar, India