Popular Temple
Mundeshwari Devi Temple, Kaimur
Ramgarh, Kaimur district, Bihar
A very early temple with an octagonal sanctum, on the Kaimur plateau
At a glance
- Location
- Ramgarh, Kaimur district, Bihar
- Presiding deity
- Goddess Mundeshwari and Lord Shiva
- Temple type
- Popular Temple
- Tradition
- Shaiva
- Nearest railway station
- Bhabua Road railway station (~25 km)
- Nearest airport
- Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi (~110 km)
- Best time to visit
- October to March; Navratri and Shivratri see the main gatherings.
History
The Mundeshwari temple stands near Ramgarh village on the Kaimur plateau at about 185 metres. It has been an Archaeological Survey of India protected monument since 1915. It is frequently described as the oldest continuously worshipped Hindu temple in the world — a claim repeated widely, though it is disputed. Inscriptions from the site place it around the Gupta period.
Spiritual significance
The octagonal sanctum is rare in northern India and gives the temple particular architectural importance. Inside are both an image of the goddess Mundeshwari and a four-faced Shiva linga. A much-noted local practice is that the bali offering does not involve killing: the animal is presented before the goddess and then released.
Plan your visit
Darshan timings
Open from morning to evening. Fairs are held here at Navratri and Shivratri.
Timings change on festivals and special occasions. Confirm with the temple's official source before you travel.
Reached by road from Varanasi or Sasaram. A road runs up the hill, with a short flight of steps to the temple itself.
Continue your Shiva bhakti
Devotional texts for this deity, already on the site.