Choti
Patan Devi Temple, Patna,
Bihar
Choti Patan Devi Temple is a Hindu
Temple dedicated to Goddess Sakthi, located in Patna City in Patna District of
Bihar, India. The Temple is situated on the banks of River Ganges. This Temple is
one of the oldest and the most sacred temples of Patna, the capital city of
Bihar state in India. This temple is considered as one of Shakti
Peethas in Indian Subcontinent. Being one of the 51 Shakti
Peethas of Hindu Mythology, this temple is one of the holiest
sites for devotees of the Shakti sect of Hinduism. This
temple is situated in the Chowk area of Patna City.
Legends
For brief details, please refer below link;
History
This temple was once 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
This temple faces the south-east
direction. This temple also has the same goddess as in Bari Patan Devi temple. There
is also a big idol of the Sun god, broken into two parts located at the
northern compound side of the Choti Patan Devi temple. The Idol is very likely from
early medieval temple
dated to 9th Century CE. Fragments of doorjambs and lintels found in
this temple belonged the bygone temple.
There are also small images of
the Sun, Vishnu, Ganesha and few other Hindu deities in the western compound of
the temple. 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. She is also in the Standing pose and located to the north.
There is also a temple of Lord Shiva built in 1950 to the right side of Devi
Parvati statue. This temple is in an open space and there is a courtyard in
front of it.
Temple Opening Time
The temple remains open from
morning 06.00 am to 10.00 pm in the night.
Festivals
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. Vijayadashami mela or
fair is quite popular here and is celebrated with great devotion and harmony.
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. Tuesday is considered a special day
for all devotees and a large number of worshipers visit the temple. Makar
Sankranti, Sharad Purnima, Deepawali, Somvati Amavasya, Ram Navami and
Shivaratri are some of the other important festivals being celebrated here.
Prayers
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. On fulfillment of wishes,
people offer gifts and sarees in the temple and promises are also made before
the deity.
Connectivity
The Temple is located at about 1
Km from Patna Saheb Railway Station, 11 Kms from Patna Junction Railway
Station, 12 Kms from Mithapur Bus Stand and 19 Kms from Patna Airport. The
Temple is situated on the outskirt of the city of Patna, near to Harmandir
Sahib, birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, 10th Guru of Sikhism. This temple is situated in the Chowk area of
Patna City. It is easily reachable by private cabs or autos. Patna is well
connected to rest of India by all means of transport.
Location
