Plan to develop ancient temple

PATNA: Mundeshwari Bhawani Mandir, the ‘oldest’ surviving temple in the eastern region belonging to Gupta Age (AD 343) and located in Kaimur hills, will soon be the subject of a historical novel. To be titled ‘Mahima Mundeshwari Maa Ki’, the novel will be penned by the administrator of Bihar State Religious Trust Board, Acharya Kishore Kunal.
Besides, the temple site will also be developed into a fullfledged pilgrim centre, just like Vaishno Devi temple, with a number of amenities like dormitory, rest rooms, kitchens and efficient transportation system.
Talking to TOI, Kunal said, "Unlike the earlier book that I wrote on this 1,652-year-old temple, based purely on historical facts, the novel will be more illustrative, narrative and a play with imaginative skills." Recently, a 185-page book ‘Mundeshwari Mandir: The Oldest Recorded Temple in the Country’, also written by him, was released. As part of the temple’s development plans, a ‘vivah’ mandap is under construction in over two-and-a-half acres. Arrangements will be made for solemnizing the marriage of five couples at a time. Couples will tie the knot with idols of Shiv and Parvati in the background. "Only nominal charges will be levied for it," said Kunal.
A huge dharmshala is also being constructed to house the pilgrims. Construction of as many as 24 rooms is almost complete, he said adding these rooms will have attached bathrooms as well. The charges for the dormitory and rooms will be nominal.
Arrangements are also being made for the devotees to take away packets of ‘prasad’. Very soon, the devotees will be able to buy and take home freshly-cooked ‘prasad’ from the temple, the acharya told TOI. Provision for an in-house kitchen is also being worked out and pilgrims can look forward to having hot food at this temple in six months.
The acharya added, "We are planning to run buses to the temple situated on Kaimur hills. At present, only one bus takes the pilgrims to the temple. Since the parking fee has been enhanced significantly amounting to around Rs 250 per car, common men find it difficult to visit the temple. Hence, the number of tourist buses to the temple will be increased, which will in turn boost the number of visitors to the temple.
Proposal for a ropeway is also in the pipeline, but a decision on it has to come from the Union government. A film on the divine powers of the temple is also proposed be made.
The movie will be titled ‘Mahima Mundeshwari’. "We are yet to get a producer for the film, but for direction we have spoken to a few Bihar-based directors in Mumbai.
Our dream is to spread awareness about its aura in the entire country and to raise it to the stature of Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu, so that pilgrims from all over the country can come here to pay obeisance," said Kunal, a former bureaucrat.