Thursday, August 4, 2016

Kashtaharini Ghat, Munger, Bihar

Tataka (Taraka), the demoness was cruel, mighty and possessed the strength of thousand elephants. Killing her was indeed a tiring job, even for Lord Rama. On the way back to home after rescuing the Rishis from her terror, Princes Rama and Lakshman decided to take rest beside the river Ganges. The dip in the healing water of the holy river took all their pain and fatigue away. and hence the  name of that riverfront came to be known as Kashtaharini Ghat.

There was yet another event when Shri Rama chose to find relaxation in this Ghat. It was the time when he was returning from Mithila to Ayodhya with his newly wed wife Sita. The water is said to be blessed by the Lord himself and possesses magical power. 

The legend of this Ghat in Munger attracts many devotees to take the holy dip and leave behind their woes to be swallowed by the magnanimous river.
Kashtaharini Ghat Entrance
Kashtaharini Ghat has a temple with all main Hindu deities- Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Ganesh, Durga. The temple is specially dedicated to Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshman. There are peepal trees in the premise which are worshipped by the local residents. Though the temple is modern, the rock shrine was established by a Hindu Sage Mugdal Muni in  Gupta Empire in 6th Century Common Era. The inscriptions at the bottom of the shrine are in Prakrit language.

People use steamers and boats to cross the river. The bank has a harbour and construction site for maintenance and repair of the boats.

180 km East of Patna Munger can be reached by train or road. It takes approximately 4 hours to reach by road via NH31 and NH33. Trains like Mhananda Express, Koshi Express run daily from Patna to Munger and vice versa.

Sita Ram Temple

Temple Premise

Bathing place

Carved Deities on the Rock Shrine

Prakrit Scriptures 

The Rock Shrine

Ghat Entrance

Temple Premise

Steamers and Boats


Peepal Tree


Top View of the Temple 

Peepal Tree with Deities


Hindu Deities inside the Temple