Information of Bawan Pokhar Temple, Vaishali, Bihar

The Bawan Pokhar is a temple dedicated to the various Gods. It is a Hindu temple but can be visited by people from other religions as well. It is located in the ancient and holy city of Vaishali in the Indian state of Bihar. The temple is built just next to a Pokhar meaning a pond which is named as Bawa Pokhar hence the name Bawan Pokhar Temple. The area surrounding the Temple is serene and beautiful an attractive location for site seeing.

Bawan Pokhar Temple Religious Significance

The most significant feature of this temple is that various idols of Hindu Gods are placed in the sanctum sanctorum and all of them are worshipped together as one. The city of Vaishali comprises of many temples belonging to Hindus, Buddhists and also Jains. So a large number of Pilgrims belonging to all the three religions come to visit the temple.

The best time to visit the temple is from October to March and the nearest railway station is the Hajipur Station 35 kilometres from the Bawan Pokhar. The basic attraction in and around the temple is a huge Buddha Stupa, the Vaishali Museum and a famous Ashokan Pillar. The temple remains open for worship throughout the year and is open to public at all times of the day. Being a Hindu temple all the Hindu festivals are celebrated with very much enthusiasm and sacredness.

The temple offers blessings to devotees from far and near without any discrimination related to religion, caste, sect or sex.

Bawan Pokhar Temple Mythology & History

The Bawan Pokhar Temple was built during the Pala Period by the Pallava Kings and a lot of structures belonging to the Gupta period are enshrined in the temple.

According to the mythology Vaishali is a very holy city for Indain including Jains and Buddhists. The founder of Jainism who was the last of the 24 Tirthankara was born in Vaishali.

Lord Buddha also visited Vaishali at least three times and also announced his upcoming Salvation and he also gave his last sermon in Vaishali. Therefore a lot of temples were built in and around the city of Vaishali. A myth also tells us a story of monkeys who dug out a tank and offered honey to Lord Buddha now situated very close to the Bawan Pokhar Temple. Hence Vaishali being a rich religious site the Bawan Pokhar temple was built to add up to the richness.

Today some parts of the temple are ruined with age and also invasion from time to time. In spite of the ruins pilgrims come and worship the deities with as much a faith and belief from before.

Bawan Pokhar Temple Architectural Significance

The temple is located just beside the tank which is called a Pokhar in Bihar. It is a stone structure of the medieval period. The idols installed in the temple are made up of black basalt. A four headed Shivalinga is installed in shrine that was found buried in the premises of the temple. The Shiva linga is also made up of black basalt a significant feature of the architecture of the Pallava dynasty. Apart from these many other idol of Hindu Gods are installed and worshipped together. The shrine is beautified with all the idols decorated with flowers and precious jewels offered to the Gods by Devotees. There is another temple located near the temple of Bawan Pokhar. It is a temple dedicated to the son of Lord Shiva, Karthikeya.

The city of Vaishali is adorned with not only Buddhist and Jain monuments but also Hindu monuments and attracts a large number of pilgrims.