Bidar Aranya Devi Temple

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Aranya Devi Temple is located in the Chowk area, 3.2 kilometers away from Arrah railway station. Rickshaws, carriages and horse-drawn ekkas are the available means of communication at Arrah railway station. Passenger buses run through Arrah from Patna to Varanasi. Aranya Devi is the Goddess of Sakama-bhakti. She is said to fulfill whatever desires are expressed by the devotee.

Description: Aranya Devi Temple in Bihar is reconstructed on modern lines. Marble and mosaic work adorn the temple. Aranya Devi Temple faces the east. It has a round dome. There is a courtyard at the entrance of Aranya Devi Temple of Bihar and there are two porticos or verandas to the west and the north. There are three bells in the west portico. There is a Shiva linga, a well, and a charity box in the west portico.

There is a space of about 3 feet by 3 feet for the priest to the west of the portico. The throne of two Aranya Devis in the standing pose are located to the west of that place. The throne of the goddesses is roughly 10 feet high. The statues are made of black stone. One statue is 3 feet high, while the other is 2 feet high. They are dressed in yellow sari and adorned with flower garlands and mukuts on their heads.

There are statues of Radha and Krishna on the left side of Aranya Devi, that is, to the north of Aranya Devi Temple. Statues of Ram, Lakshmana, Bharata, Satrughna and Sita are located on their left side. These statues are made of marble.

Rituals: The deity is daily bathed twice at Aranya Devi Temple. This is followed by prasad offerings (sweatmeats, fruits, etc.), reciting of hymns by the priest accompanied with drums and ringing of bells, and arati.
 

Badami | Bangalore | Belur | Bidar | Bijapur | Coorg | Gulburga | Hampi | Hassan | Hospet | Mysore

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