This 1200-year-old Lord Shiva temple, popularly known as Koteshwarnath
temple, with a huge Shivlinga at the centre with over a 1,000 Shivlinga
chiselled into it, at Main village under Belaganj block in Gaya
district, attracting devotees since ages. Now people from across the
state come here for fulfillment of their wishes.
Located on the bank of river Morhar river at Main village, the temple's sanctum sanctorum is carved in a single piece of red stone and within it is installed a large sized Shivalinga with around 1,008 miniature Shivlingas around 1200 years back. People call it Sahastra Shivalinga built in-one and believe Lord Shiva here showers blessings on the devotees.
An amazing thing near the Koteshwarnath temple is an old Pipal tree, whose large branches have turned towards the temple bending downwards as if offering prayers to Lord Shiva. The priests of this temple said that Lord Shiva is manifested in the Shivalinga.
Located on the bank of river Morhar river at Main village, the temple's sanctum sanctorum is carved in a single piece of red stone and within it is installed a large sized Shivalinga with around 1,008 miniature Shivlingas around 1200 years back. People call it Sahastra Shivalinga built in-one and believe Lord Shiva here showers blessings on the devotees.
An amazing thing near the Koteshwarnath temple is an old Pipal tree, whose large branches have turned towards the temple bending downwards as if offering prayers to Lord Shiva. The priests of this temple said that Lord Shiva is manifested in the Shivalinga.
The state government is to acquire three acres of land surrounding the ancient Koteshwarnath temple and the nearby peepal (Ficusreligiosa) tree whose branches are moving towards the temple, at Main under Belaganj block in Gaya district.
A decision in this regard has been taken following the direction of CM Nitish Kumar, who had recently visited the Koteshwarnath temple and offered prayers to 1,008 miniature shivalings.
As per the CM's directive, a communique of the principal secretary, art, culture and youth affairs department, Chanchal Kumar, is being sent to the Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun, to take measures to conserve the peepal tree and determine its age and study the scientific reason behind the one-sided growth of its branches towards the temple, said director of archaeology, Bihar government, Atul Kumar Verma.
The CM was surprised to see the one-sided growth of the peepal tree branches. The FRI had, in its report, described it as salutation to the temple. The CM had asked the officials to request the FRI to take measures to protect the tree like it was protecting the sacred Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya. The tree is situated 100 metres north of the temple.
On the CM's directive, a photography competition to snap the picture of the magnificent tree near the temple would be organized, Verma said, adding that the idols and sculptures of different deities collected from the villages around the Koteshwarnath temple would be put under an archaeological shade.
Verma said the temple is one of the most ancient ones in Bihar, dating back to transition phase between late Gupta and Pal period. This finding is derived from the architecture of the temple, particularly the magnificent pink coloured single stone pillars constructed around 6th century AD, he said.
This temple is about 60km away from the village Telhara in Nalanda district where existence of a third ancient university of Bihar, Telhara University, dated 6th century AD, has been found, Verma said. He himself was part of the excavators' team that discovered this third ancient university of Bihar. SOURCE : TNN
A decision in this regard has been taken following the direction of CM Nitish Kumar, who had recently visited the Koteshwarnath temple and offered prayers to 1,008 miniature shivalings.
As per the CM's directive, a communique of the principal secretary, art, culture and youth affairs department, Chanchal Kumar, is being sent to the Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun, to take measures to conserve the peepal tree and determine its age and study the scientific reason behind the one-sided growth of its branches towards the temple, said director of archaeology, Bihar government, Atul Kumar Verma.
The CM was surprised to see the one-sided growth of the peepal tree branches. The FRI had, in its report, described it as salutation to the temple. The CM had asked the officials to request the FRI to take measures to protect the tree like it was protecting the sacred Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya. The tree is situated 100 metres north of the temple.
On the CM's directive, a photography competition to snap the picture of the magnificent tree near the temple would be organized, Verma said, adding that the idols and sculptures of different deities collected from the villages around the Koteshwarnath temple would be put under an archaeological shade.
Verma said the temple is one of the most ancient ones in Bihar, dating back to transition phase between late Gupta and Pal period. This finding is derived from the architecture of the temple, particularly the magnificent pink coloured single stone pillars constructed around 6th century AD, he said.
This temple is about 60km away from the village Telhara in Nalanda district where existence of a third ancient university of Bihar, Telhara University, dated 6th century AD, has been found, Verma said. He himself was part of the excavators' team that discovered this third ancient university of Bihar. SOURCE : TNN
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