World’s Oldest Living Temple – Mundeshwari Devi Temple

As part of my research on Devi temples of India and sacred spaces associated with Shakti, I came across the mention of Mundeshwari Devi and her temple. Images from the internet showed a single stone temple with an absent Shikhara. After spending some time on Google Maps, I marked it as to be visited from Varanasi.

This time, when I had a chance to spend 2 months in Varanasi, I visited the temple on a weekend. It is about 100 kms from Varanasi and can easily be done as a day trip, or even a half-day trip.

Technically the temple is in Bihar. Kaimur Hills are beautiful hills that simply stand out on the otherwise plains of the Ganga River. On the way, we crossed the old bridge on the Karmanasha river which finds a mention in many Puranas. Instead of taking the highway, we took the village road and it was a bumpy yet enjoyable ride through the lush green Gangetic plains.

A detour after Chainpur leads to the base of the Piwara hill, rather a 600-foot-high rocky outcrop. Temple shops can be found at the base along with a forest entry post. Simply follow the vehicles and you will soon be climbing on the narrow steep road leading to the temple at the top. After the non-existent car parking, we were at the base of the well-laid and covered staircase that would take us to the temple. The temple arch announces it as Mundeshwari Dwar or the doorway to the abode of Ma Mundeshwari.

Oldest Living Temple in India – Mundeshwari Devi Temple

ASI has dated the oldest parts of Mundeshwari temple at 108 CE based on the inscriptions found on site recently. This makes it the oldest living Hindu temple in the world. There are inscriptions that point to 389 CE, even this date makes it the oldest living temple in India.

Many stone sculptures have been dated back to the Gupta period.

Almost all travelers to India, like 7^th CE Chinese travelers Huan Tsang and Daniel Brothers who traveled in 18^th CE, have mentioned this temple in their travelogues.

A Brahmi script seal of Srilankan king Dhutthagamini dating to 1^st BCE has also been found here in 2003, pushing the date of this temple back.

A book on this temple published by Jnanapravaha has documented hundreds of inscriptions found at this temple.

Legends of Mundeshwari Devi

It is known by the name Mundeshwari, which Ma Durga was called when she killed the Asura Munda. Remember, Chanda and Munda from the third Charita of Durga Saptashati. It is…