Patan Devi Temple, Bihar

Patan Devi Temple is located at Sadikpur, Patna, Bihar. Patan Devi also known as Maa Patneshwari, is the oldest and one of the most religious temples of Patna. It is among the 51 Siddha Shakti Pithas in India. The historical temple, originally known as Maa Sarvanand Kari Patneshwari, is believed to be the abode of the goddess Durga.

Bari Patan Devi(Badi Patan Devi)

The Bari Patan Devi Temple, Patna is facing the North, in the direction of the Ganges river. The statues of the temple are all created in black stone. At the gate of the temple, there is a portico. After that, there is a place for gods such as Mahakali, Maha Lakshmi, Maha Saraswati, and Bhairav. All the idols are kept simhasans (thrones) of about 4 squares in cross-section and have a height of about 7 feet. 3 goddesses are attired in sarees.

Devotees can visit the temple at any time of the day. The temple does not separate between any caste or creed and that’s why is open to all castes and religious beliefs. The temple remains open from early morning 6 am to 10 pm. Tuesday is a very special day for the devotees and a large number of devotees visit the temple. Promises are being made just before the Goddess and on the fulfillment of the desires, devotees offer presents and sarees in the temple.

Chhoti Patan Devi

This temple is located in the Chowk location of Patna City. For many years it has slipped to the 2nd position of eminence, after the Bari Patan Devi temple, as the city’s presiding deity, with the epithet ‘Choti’ (smaller sized) to the more popular one, the Bari (even bigger) Patan Devi. A historian called Buchanan was really particular in mentioning that it was this really temple (Choti Patan Devi) that held the main position as the city’s administering deity throughout the Early and 18th 19th centuries.

Today temple does not appear to be of any wonderful old days. The images inside the temple, if Buchanan is to be believed, were set up by Man Singh, the well-known general of the Mughal emperor Akbar. The temple, but, home to a host of undamaged and severed Brahmanical images, consisting of, Ganesh, Vishnu, and Surya. Beyond the temple, however, within its precincts, lie in open pieces of door lintels and yet another set of images. Of these, an outstanding, however damaged sun-image is the most popular. According to lots of historians, it is probably that some early ancient temple was constructed here sometime in the 9th-11th Century A.D. and these fragmentary roaming sculptural/structural evidence are just ruins. Most likely, these were re-installed in the latest temple, constructed during the 16th-17th century by Man Singh. Genuine info on this count is woefully desired.

History

The name of the city Patna is generally known to have originated from the name of the Bari Patan Devi Temple. Some, however, doubt whether the name of Patna originated from this temple. According to them, the name originated from Patan which indicates a town and Patna was a huge place of export and import.

According to the Hindu legend, when Prajapati Daksha celebrated Brihaspati Yajna and invited every god to his Yajna however neglected Shiva, his own son-in-law. Sati, the wife of Lord Shiva, on knowing that her husband had not been welcomed to her father’s Yajna, went to her father’s home. She felt mortified and put an end to her life when Sati discovered no seat set aside for her husband there. Lord Shiva at once came to know of this and in his great anger and sadness took her dead body on his shoulder and started to perform a tandava dance around the Triloka (3 worlds).

The Gods were horror-struck and requested Lord Vishnu to interfere. Vishnu skillfully followed the dancing Shiva and began cutting the dead body of Sati to pieces with his Chakra. Wherever the significant limbs of the body of Sati fell the locations became Mahapithas. The locations where the small limbs fell came to be considered as Upapithas. There is a tradition fondly considered that some part of the right thigh of Devi Sati fell in Magadh and it is said that the part of the body of Sati fell in both Maharajganj and Chowk areas in Old Patna city.

At these locations, the Badi Patan Devi temple and the Chhoti Patan Devi temple were constructed. According to the Tantra Charumani, the little pictures of the Bari Patan Devi Temple, Patna are the Goddess Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasaraswati. In Hindu legend, these Goddesses secured Putraka, who was the creator of Pataliputra. A strange rock image has been discovered in a tank near the Bari Patan Devi Temple, Patna. That picture has been kept on the eastern terrace of the main temple where this natural stone is being worshiped routinely.

Importance Of Patan Devi

Badi Patan Devi temple in Patna is among the 51 Shakti Peeths of India. Shakti Upasana is a significant pillar of the Hindu religion. It is believed that Badi Patan Devi has been the protector of the city of Patna since historical times. This temple is of particular significance for newly married couples and newborn children.

Festivals

As in lots of other locations, a mela is also held up near these temples at the time of Vijayadashmi. On Saptami, Ashtami, and Navami (Durga Puja) during the Mela, more than 600 people come to deliver worship daily at both of the 2 temples. Tourists typically bring garlands, sugary foods, and fruits to offer to the goddess. The priest of the temple takes some amount of the prasad and returns the rest to the devotees. He marks their forehead with Rori (red powder). The devotees also give some cash to the priest as “Dakshina”.

As relates to the routine of the rituals, the goddess is bathed early morning and night, and this is followed by the presenting of prasad (sweetmeats and fruits and many more) and aarti with the regular reciting of hymns by the priest, accompanied by the ringing of bells.

Nearby Attractions

• Golghar
• Padri Ki Haveli
• Takht Sri Patna Sahib 

Nearby Temples

• Mahavir (Hanuman) temple,
• Agam Kuan,
• Buddha Smriti Park
• Kamaldah Jain temple
• Bodh Gaya
• Gaya Vishnupad Temple

How to Reach Badi Patan Devi

• By Air: The nearby Airport is the Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport and it is 24 km from the temple.
• By Train: The nearby Railway Station is Patna Junction and it is 20 km from the temple.
• By Road: The Temple can be easily visited from the Patna Bus Station. Rickshaws, taxis, and many more transportation facilities are available at Patna, Gulzarbagh, and Patna City Railway stations.

How to reach Choti Patan Devi Shakti Peeth 

On coming from Ashok Raj Path, devotees will reach the temple after going to the street within 100 feet from the contact path with Hajiganj of Chowk police station area. From Patna Sahib station, the way to reach Choti Patnadevi is situated after reaching Chowkshikarpur, Mangaltalab turns via Kalisthan road.

Temple Timings

Morning Timing	Evening Timing
4:00AM to 12:00 PM	2:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Temple Video