Mahavir Mandir Patna: Everything You Need to Know About Bihar’s Iconic Temple
Mahavir Mandir Patna which is located just near the Patna Junction railway station, was reported to be the second most revenue generating temple in North India after Vaishno Devi Temple, Katra, J&K. While some reports mention that is the second most revenue generating temple in India after Tirupati Balaji Temple. For instance, in 2023 May, the daily income of Mahavir Mandir Patna was recorded to be ₹10 lakhs. It is not only a temple but also a center of massive social welfare and charitable work.
From operating a world-class cancer hospital for free or minimal charges and serving pure and free meals to the poor to working on the construction of the world’s largest temple namely ‘Virat Ramayan Temple’. Mahavir Mandir Patna is the epitome of an ideal temple. All these things are possible due to the Mahavir Mandir Trust which diverts all the revenue generated by the temple for the humanitarian work under the vision and direction Late Acharya Kishore Kunal.
Let’s take a deep dive into the spiritual realm of Mahavir Mandir Patna, we will also talk about the special prasad ‘Naivedyam’ which is everyone’s favourite across India for its pure quality and divine taste.
We have provided a Table of Contents to help you navigate through the article as you wish :
Table of Contents
Introduction to Patna’s Mahavir Mandir
Mahavir Mandir Patna is not only the most famous and most visited temple in Bihar but also one of India’s most visited Hanuman temples. Its situation makes it more accessible as it is situated just beside the Patna Junction Railway Station. So, all the passengers consider visiting the temple to seek Hanuman Ji’s blessings before departing to their respective locations. Mahavir Mandir sees lakhs of devotees every year.
Like many other temples, Mahavir Mandir also has dual character –
First is that it is a temple where all the desires are fulfilled and that’s why it is commonly known as ‘Manokamna Mandir‘ because here all the heartfelt desires (manokamna) get fulfilled here by the grace of Hanuman ji.
Second is that it is a major hub of providing free healthcare, education and food to the poor and unprivileged people without any discrimination. That’s why Mahavir Mandir Patna has a special place in the hearts of all devotees.
History of Mahavir Mandir, Patna
The exact origin and the history of Mahavir Mandir is not known to us, but in 1948 the Patna High Court declared that the Mahavir Mandir Patna existed since ancient times and has been there for as long as people can remember. Before this, the administration of Mahavir Mandir was under the monks of Ramanandi Sampradaya.
Around the 1980s particularly the time from 1983-85, the Mahavir Mandir Patna was re-constructed and lakhs of devotees volunteered in kar seva (service) to rebuild it. After the completion, it was re-inaugurated by Acharya Kishore Kunal Ji.
The Mahavir Mandir Patna gained even more popularity after the introduction of Naivedyam laddus in 1992 which was inspired by Tirupati Balaji Temple. In fact, Naivedyam laddus was the second most selling prasad after Tirupati Balaji laddus in India. We’ll cover the details about this divine delicacy in the upcoming section.
Acharya Kishore Kunal and His Contribution to Mahavir Mandir Patna
The story about Mahavir Mandir Patna is incomplete without mentioning the contribution of Late Acharya Kishore Kunal. He was a former IPS officer. Later he got engaged in social work and dedicated his life to upliftment of the poor with the help of Mahavir Mandir.
Kishore Kunal re-inaugurated the Mahavir Mandir Patna in 1985 and also took over the role of Secretary of the Mahavir Mandir Trust. Under his leadership and vision, the Mahavir Mandir Trust expanded the philanthropic work.
One of the most appreciated steps taken by Late Acharya Kishore Kunal ji was the appointment of Dalit priests in Mahavir Mandir Patna in 1993. This gives a strong message that there is no such discrimination in Sanatana Dharma as some critics claim and the misconceptions & flawed knowledge must be corrected. He took this step when he was chosen as the President of the Bihar Hindu Religious Trusts Board. This step was further replicated in more temples in Bihar.
Philanthropic Work by Mahavir Mandir Patna
Now we will give a detailed breakdown of how the Mahavir Mandir is transforming the lives of thousands of underprivileged people.
Mahavir Mandir Trust is one of the most active philanthropic institutions and is known for the following welfare acts :
The Mahavir Mandir Trust under the leadership of Late Acharya Kishore Kunal built the Mahavir Cancer Institute & Research Centre (MCSRC) in 1998.
Currently, an expanded network of nine hospitals is executed under the Mahavir Mandir Trust, we have named a few of them here :
1. Mahavir Cancer Sansthan (one of Eastern India’s largest cancer treatment centers)
2. Mahavir Aarogya Sansthan
3. Mahavir Vatsalya Aspatal
4. Mahavir Netralaya
5. Mahavir Heart Hospital
6. Mahavir Child Cancer Hospital First dedicated pediatric cancer hospital in India)
7. Mahavir Senior Citizen Hospital (specially built for the people aged 60 years and above, the registration and consultation fee is as low as ₹20!)
All these hospitals provide health services for free or at minimal affordable prices for the under privileged and poor people of the society.
Over 3 lakh patients are treated annually, with special schemes for children and financially weak patients. Apart from treatments, pateints undergoing Cancer treatment are also given financial assistance i.e. ₹10,000 to poor adults and ₹15,000 for children.
All patients admitted in Mahavir Cancer Sansthan get free blood. The Hospital provides world class facilities to all the patients regardless of the fact that they aren’t paying.
Unlike corporate hospitals, the cost of chemotherapy, diagnosis, and surgery is kept minimal. Many doctors and nurses working here are directly funded by the temple trust.
The Mahavir Mandir Trust also gives the facilities of Patient Hostels to the relatives of those patients who live in far-off districts. They ensure every aspect of the treatment and recovery process runs smoothly. Such facilities come at very high costs generally and can only be afforded by the elite class people. But the Mahavir Mandir Trust is making it accessible for everyone.
Not only hospitals, but the Mahavir Mandir Trust also organises Ram Rasoi in Ayodhya and Sita Rasoi in Sitamarhi, Bihar (birthplace of Mata Sita).
More than 10,000 people are provided with pure Bihari meals twice on a daily basis without any charges in the Ram Rasoi. They don’t even accept any donations for this service. All the expenses are managed by the revenue of the Mahavir Mandir and the price of Naivedyam laddus.
Apart from this, more than 500 people are fed with pure and hygienic food by the temple kitchen on a daily basis.
Acharya Kishore Kunal Ji’s vision made Mahavir Mandir Trust one of the most influential religious institutions of India.
Architecture of Mahavir Mandir Patna
The Mahavir Mandir Patna is built in a 10,000 sq. feet area. It has multiple floors, ample space for devotees for rituals and a garbha griha. The temple is built in Nagara style architecture which is commonly seen in North Indian temples.
The idol of Hunuman ji is on the ground floor itself. What’s special about Mahavir Mandir Patna is that it has two idols of Hanuman ji making it the only such temple in India. One idol is for blessing the devotees and the other is for removing all evils.
Here every heartfelt desire is fulfilled and that’s why the temple is lovingly also known as Manokamna Mandir. And if you take the stairs, you’ll reach the first floor which has idols of Shri Ram, Shree Krishna, Maa Durga, Shiva-Parvati.
The 3D model of Virat Ramayan Mandir (World’s largest temple) is also placed there as it is getting construction by the Mahavir Mandir Trust. A floating stone from the Ram Setu is also placed in a glass case there for the devotees to see.
On the upper most floor, there is ample space for devotees to sit and chant Hanuman Chalisa. You’ll always find people doing the same. Satsang, kirtans, and rituals like the Satyanarayan Katha are also performed there.
Everyone’s Favourite : Naivedyam Laddu
When people visit Mahavir Mandir in Patna they just can’t miss the chance to taste the divine prasad offered to Hanuman Ji. The Naivedyam laddus are an epitome of quality and purity.
They are prepared with utmost care and precaution inside the temple premises itself so there is no scope of any sort of adulteration. The quality of all materials and that of the Naivedyam laddus is regularly checked in labs.
They are made using pure desu ghee, pure gram flour, Kashmiri saffron and other dryfruits. All the raw materials are purchased from trustworthy parties. For eg the ghee comes from Karnataka Milk Federation and each batch is sent for lab testing before its use in making the Prasad.
The process of making Naivedyam laddus is semi-automated to avoid contact with hands as much as possible. Over 100 trained workers are involved in preparation of the Prasad who perform their daily morning rituals first then make the laddus. Every quarter of the Naivedyam laddus is sent to New Delhi for lab-testing to ensure purity. The level of strictness and cleanliness is so much that even the water used in making the Prasad is lab-testing to ensure it is free from contamination.
What makes these laddus special is that the revenue generated from the sale of Naivedyam laddus is completely utilised for charitable activities of the Mahavir Mandir Trust. For reference, Mahavir Mandir Patna expected to sell around ₹66 lakhs worth of Naivedyam laddus on Ram Navmi in 2025.
Every single penny the people give to the temple is going all the way to the poor and needy… And that is what makes these laddus everyone’s favourite!
How does Mahavir Mandir Trust get Funds?
The Mahavir Mandir Patna is completely dependent on the small donations done by the common people. There are no corporate giants or businessmen or billionaires behind the functioning of the Mahavir Mandir Trust.
Every rupee is accounted for and detailed audits are conducted. Everything is shared with the public as well. The process is completely transparent and this is what instills people’s faith in the Mahavir Mandir Trust.
Virat Ramayan Mandir : World’s Largest Temple will be built by Mahavir Mandir Trust
The Virat Ramayan Mandir is indeed the most ambitious project by the Mahavir Mandir Patna. Upon completion, it will be the world’s largest temple overtaking the current Ankor Wat Temple situated in Cambodia. The Virat Ramayan Mandir is expected to be 2,800 feet in length, 1,400 feet in width, and 405 feet in height.
Its construction was planned to be initiated in June 2015 but got halted due to some issues (protests by the Ankor Wat Temple because the design & architecture of Virat Ramayan Mandir was similar to it), then it was restarted in 2023 (after changes in the design) and it is expected to be completed by 2026. The temple will also house the World’s Highest Shivaling (33 foot high and weighing approx 200 tonnes).
The Virat Ramayan Mandir is being constructed in the East Champaran district of Bihar. This is a matter of pride for all Biharis that our state is going to have the world’s largest temple. The tourism industry will boom and eventually aid in Bihar’s development.
The reason behind choosing this place for Ramayan Temple is that when Shri Ram and Mata Sita were going back to Ayodhya after their marriage ceremony, they stayed here for a while. That’s why the temple is planned to be constructed here.
The Virat Ramayan Mandir is set to house idols of 22 Hindu deities. Also, the Virat Ramayan Mandir will be some of the only temples where the idols of Luv-Kush ji are present. Apart from this, the temple is set to have a grand auditorium for Ram Katha and it will also provide about 108 rooms for pilgrims.
Mahavir Mandir’s Unique Shravan Kumar Award
In 2007, the Patna Mahavir Mandir Patna launched a unique type of awards known as the Shravan Kumar Award. These awards are meant to recognize and honour those people who care for their aged parents. This is such a great way of culminating in the feeling of respect and togetherness in a family inspired from Shravan Kumar who is known for service towards his parents. The award includes:
- First Prize: ₹1,00,000
- Second Prize: ₹50,000
- Third Prize: ₹25,000
- Ten Consolation Prizes: ₹5,000 each
This initiative is introduced to instill family values and Indian traditions in the younger generations helping them stay connected with their roots and the ideals of Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram.
Conclusion
Mahavir Mandir Patna is a prime example of how a temple can help in the betterment of people. We pay tribute to Late Acharya Kishore Kunal Ji for his vision and actions which has made the Mahavir Mandir Trust synonymous with charity, humanitarian work and social welfare.
We prompt everyone to visit the Mahavir Mandir Patna at least once and experience the divine and spiritual aura of the temple.
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I’m a final-year engineering student with a deep interest in current affairs, politics, and international issues. Writing news is my part-time passion, where I focus on sharing credible and well-researched stories. Every article I publish is backed by verified sources and multiple levels of fact-checking to ensure accuracy and trustworthiness.
