{{Short description|Hindu temple in Patna, India}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}} {{Infobox Hindu temple | image = Mahavir Mandir from Buddha Smriti Park.JPG | map_type = India Patna | map_caption = Location in Patna | coordinates = {{coord|25|36|14|N|85|8|11|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}} | native_name = Hanuman Mandir | country = {{Ind}} | state = Bihar | location = Patna | elevation_m = 57 | deity = Hanuman | festivals = Rama Navami, Hanuman Jayanti | architecture = Nagara Architecture | year_completed = First built – unknown<br /> Rebuilt – 1947<br />Final Rebuilt – 1987 | website = {{URL|https://mahavirmandirpatna.org}} | logo = | logo_alt = }} '''Mahavir Mandir''' is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Hanuman, located in Patna, Bihar, India. Millions of pilgrims visit the temple every year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/patnas-mahavir-temple-to-allow-devotees-in-specified-time-slots-based-on-their-names20200524052952/|title=Patna's Mahavir temple to allow devotees in specified time slots based on their names|website=ANI News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/religious-shrines-open-gates-for-devotees/articleshow/78002372.cms|title=Religious shrines open gates for devotees |website=The Times of India|date=9 September 2020 }}</ref> Acharya Kishore Kunal is the secretary of the Mahavir Mandir Temple Trust, Patna.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Mahavir-Mandir-to-have-its-twin-in-Houston/articleshow/4754664.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105201604/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-07-09/patna/28197134_1_acharya-kishore-kunal-houston-patna |url-status=live |archive-date=5 November 2012 |work=The Times of India |title=Mahavir Mandir to have its twin in Houston |date=9 July 2009 }}</ref> After the Vaishno Devi Temple, this temple has the highest earnings of over 1 lakh per day rendering its trust budgets as the second highest in the northern part of the country. The temple attracts huge crowds on festivals like Ramnavami. It is one of the leading temples dedicated to the worship of Lord Hanuman.
==History== As per the Patna High Court judgment in 1948, the temple has existed since time immemorial.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mahavir Mandir, Bihar – Info, Timings, Photos, History |url=https://www.templepurohit.com/hindu-temple/mahavir-mandir/ |access-date=2024-03-03 |website=TemplePurohit – Your Spiritual Destination {{!}} Bhakti, Shraddha Aur Ashirwad}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://patna.bih.nic.in/html/mahavirtemple.htm |title=Mahavir Temple |accessdate=2008-09-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410055641/http://patna.bih.nic.in/html/mahavirtemple.htm |archivedate=2009-04-10 }}</ref>
==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.<ref>{{cite web|author=Faizan Ahmad |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Crowds-throng-temples-on-New-Year/articleshow/2667468.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021190134/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-01-02/patna/27783660_1_new-year-crowds-throng-temples-mahabir-mandir |url-status=live |archive-date=2012-10-21 |title=Crowds throng temples on New Year |date=2008-01-02 |work=The Times of India |access-date=2013-10-03}}</ref> On Rama Navami, the queues can be over one kilometer long.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ANI |date=2022-04-10 |title=Bihar: Devotees throng Patna's Mahavir temple on Ram Navami |url=https://theprint.in/india/bihar-devotees-throng-patnas-mahavir-temple-on-ram-navami/910358/ |access-date=2024-03-03 |website=ThePrint}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Upadhyay |first=Saloni |date=28 August 2023 |title=Patna Mahavir Mandir: पटना का महावीर मंदिर इतना क्यों है खास, जानिए इससे जुड़ी दिलचस्प बातें |url=https://www.jagran.com/lifestyle/travel-tourism-why-patna-mahavir-mandir-is-so-famous-know-here-interesting-things-related-to-this-temple-23514999.html |access-date=31 January 2024 |work=Dainik Jagran Hindi News}}</ref>
==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.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.livemint.com/Politics/4AFwC6y1bCUMpagm23fnjI/From-an-outcast-to-a-temple-priest.html|title=Patna: From an outcast to a temple priest|date=13 July 2017 |newspaper=Mint}}</ref>
==Ram Rasoi== Arrangements for free food have been made to the devotees who visit Ramlala at Ram Rasoi.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ramrasoi.org/|title=राम-रसोई – महावीर मन्दिर, पटना द्वारा संचालित|website=राम-रसोई}}</ref> Acharya Kishore Kunal, secretary of the Shri Mahavir Sthan Nyas Samiti,<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://smsns.org/|title=Shri Mahavir Sthan Nyas Samiti, Patna | श्री महावीर स्थान न्यास समिति, पटना|website=smsns.org}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ayodhyaramatemple.org/|title=Rama Temple at Ayodhya|website=ayodhyaramatemple.org}}</ref> Devotees who visit Ramlala at Ram Rasoi get free food between 11:30 am till 3:00 pm every day.<br /> For this, 60 quintals of Govind Bhog shear rice have been sent to Ayodhya.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livehindustan.com/bihar/patna/story-ram-kitchen-of-mahavir-temple-patna-starts-in-ayodhya-govind-bhog-rice-pudding-2878870.html|title = अयोध्या में महावीर मंदिर पटना की राम रसोई शुरू ,गोविंद भोग चावल की बनी खीर}}</ref> This rice has been sourced from Mokri village in Kaimur (Bihar).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2019/nov/20/bihars-famous-govind-bhog-rice-to-be-used-in-offering-to-ram-lalla-in-ayodhya-2064448.html|title = Bihar's famous Govind Bhog rice to be used in offering to Ram Lalla in Ayodhya| date=20 November 2019 }}</ref> 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.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}}
==Philanthropic work by Shri Mahavir Sthan Nyas Samiti== Mahavir Mandir Trust is named ''Shri Mahavir Sthan Nyas Samiti''(''श्री महावीर स्थान न्यास समिति'').<ref name="auto"/> 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,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.canceratlasindia.org/CenterFilter.asp?CenterCode=95&CenterName=Mahavir%2BCancer%2BSansthan,%2BPatna |title=Welcome to National Cancer Registry Programme |accessdate=2017-06-04 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071216072654/http://www.canceratlasindia.org/CenterFilter.asp?CenterCode=95&CenterName=Mahavir+Cancer+Sansthan,+Patna |archivedate=16 December 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/mahavir-mandir-trust-helps-the-poor/articleshow/75902015.cms|title=Patna: Mahavir Mandir Trust helps the poor|date=23 May 2020 |work=The Times of India }}</ref> Mahavir Vaatsalya Hospital and Mahavir Arogya Hospital and other several hospitals and orphanage in the agricultural and rural state of Bihar.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}} The Mahavir Mandir Trust has the second highest budget in North India, after that of the Maa Vaishno Devi shrine.<ref name="timesofindia.indiatimes.com">{{cite web|author=TNN |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Mandir-trust-submits-Rs-35-cr-budget/articleshow/3017191.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021190121/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-05-07/patna/27782954_1_mahavir-mandir-trust-temple-trust-religious-trust |url-status=live |archive-date=2012-10-21 |title=Mandir trust submits Rs 35-cr budget |date=2008-05-07 |work=The Times of India |access-date=2013-10-03}}</ref>
==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.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}}
==See also== *Viraat Ramayan Mandir *Deo Sun Temple *Baba Garib Sthan Mandir
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * Mahavir Mandir published an ebook on Ayodhya debate written by Acharya Kishore Kunal that was at this link [http://www.mahavirmandirpatna.org/prakashan/ebook/bookindex.html www.mahavirmandirpatna.org/prakashan/ebook/bookindex.html] * [http://www.mahavirmandirpatna.org Mahavir Mandir Patna official website] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110916223520/http://www.mahavirmandir.org/ http://mahavirmandir.com/] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090410055641/http://patna.bih.nic.in/html/mahavirtemple.htm History of Mahavir Mandir on "Official website Patna" ] * [https://mahavirmandirpatna.org/dharmayan/ धर्मायण – धार्मिक, स��ंस्कृतिक एवं राष्ट्रीय चेतना की हिन्दी मासिक पत्रिका] Dharmayan Magazine * [https://www.hanumangi.com/mahavir-mandir-patna/ Mahavir Mandir Patna] {{Hindu temples in Bihar}}
{{Tourist attractions in Patna}} {{Portalbar|India}}
Category:Hanuman temples Category:Hindu temples in Bihar Category:Religious buildings and structures in Patna Category:Rebuilt buildings and structures in India