Mundeshwari Temple in Bihar – Is it the oldest functional Hindu Temple in the World?

Ma Mundeshwari Temple in Kaimur District of Bihar was recently in news due to the planned renovation and restoration by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Newspaper reports suggested that Mundeshwari Temple was built in 108 A D. Since then rituals and worship have been taking place at the temple without a break. Thus making it the oldest functional temple in the world.

The use of the term ‘oldest’ is a bit risky when talking about temples associated with Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism). Simply because no one has been able to clearly state how old Sanatana Dharma is. Say this temple is the oldest and immediately another person will be come with something much older.

So the safest option is to say that Ma Mundeshwari Temple in Kaimur District of Bihar is one of the oldest Hindu temples in the world.

Ma Mundeshwari Temple is situated atop the Kaimur Hill (608ft). The temple is in an octagonal shape. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple has an idol of Devi – Mundeshwari. There is also a ‘Chaturmukha Shivling’ in the sanctum sanctorum. A clear indication that Shiva and Shakti were worshipped here. Also an indication that the temple might be part of the Tantric cult which is quite popular in the Eastern part of India.

Apart from Shiva and Shakti, the temple also has idols of other popular gods in the Hindu pantheon including Ganesha, Surya, Vishnu and Mother Goddess. Temple materials and idols can be found scattered near this very rare octagonal shaped temple.

Experts believe that the temple was built during the Shaka Era.

Interestingly, the present caretaker of the temple is Muslim, yet another example of the religious harmony at the grassroots level in India. The temple attracts devotees during festivals like Ramnavami and Shivratri.

Additional Updates

History Of Mundeshwari Temple

About two and a half centuries ago, a few shepherds discovered this temple on this forbidden mountain— or rather, the ruins of it. This was during the British era. The noted British antiquarians Thomas and William Daniell visited the temple and documented its antiquity.

Along the mountain path leading to the temple, countless stone inscriptions are found.

One of them states that King Uday Sena established the temple on the 22nd day of Kartik, in the year 30. If that 30th year is calculated according to the Shaka era, it comes to 108 CE— almost 1,900 years ago. This is supported by Brahmi inscriptions found later. There, King Dutugemunu of Sri Lanka (101–177 CE) engraved that people from his kingdom used to come to this temple to offer worship.

The next important testimony regarding India comes from Xuanzang. He acknowledges the existence of this temple and clearly notes: two hundred li (1 li = 500 meters) southwest of Pataliputra, sunlight glitters on the body of an ancient temple at the summit of a mountain. And indeed, the temple of Goddess Mundeshwari lies exactly this far!

Most astonishing of all is that the Shivling here—where the Goddess manifests as Shakti— is an ancient chaturmukha lingam (four-faced lingam). Its colour changes with variations in sunlight at different times of the day. Xuanzang likely referred to this very phenomenon in his writings. If that is so, then the temple must date back to the time of King Harshavardhana—around 630 CE. Even by that measure, it is about 1,400 years old.

Numerous ancient coins have been found on the way to the temple. Based on age, these coins appear to be from the post-Gupta period. Along with them, many geometric designs resembling modern Sri Yantras are carved on the surfaces of ancient stones. Most are eroded and unclear, making them difficult to interpret. Not only that, the octagonal temple of the Mother has worn away in such a manner that it seems as if someone had expertly scraped it with a sharp sword.

From all this, it is easy to infer that this temple—or this sacred seat—has been a centre of spiritual practice and tantric rituals since very ancient times. Thus, since 1915, the Archaeological Survey of India has taken responsibility for its preservation.

On Shivaratri and during Durga Puja, worship of the Goddess and a great fair are held here.

Unique Sacrifice

And then the miraculous! For ages, countless people have witnessed an extraordinary phenomenon here. Goats offered to Goddess Durga, or Mundeshwari, are not sacrificed. Instead, they are brought before the Goddess, sprinkled with consecrated grain, and touched with the edge of sharp kuśa grass. The goat trembles, collapses, and lies motionless like dead. Moments later, it leaps up again— as though returned from the threshold of death.