Dekuli Shiv Mandir

Getting there

• By air

  Patna is the nearest airport.

• By train

  Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi are the nearest railway stations.

• By road

  Bus services run directly to Dekuli Dhaam.

Rules to know

• Devotees are not stopped from worshipping at the temple.

Why devotees come here

Dekuli Shiv Mandir sits in Sheohar district in Bihar, and is described as the oldest centre of faith in the district. Devotees perform jalabhishek on the Shiva Linga here. Local belief says the temple was carved from a single stone.

The district government describes Dekuli Shiv Mandir as the oldest centre of faith in Sheohar district, with religious and historical significance. Worship centres on a Shiva Linga, where devotees perform jalabhishek, the ritual pouring of water. The district page calls it a holy place, popular for its ancient Shiva temple.

Local belief holds that the temple was built in the Dwapar age, carved out of one stone. It is also believed that a Sri Yantra lies above the temple, and that vows made after jalabhishek on the Shiva Linga are fulfilled.

The history is less settled. A British Gazette of 1956 is cited as placing the temple between Pashupatinath in Nepal and the Harihar region of India. A Calcutta High Court decision described it as very ancient. In 1962 Saint Prem Bhikshu of Chhatouni village led an excavation. It reportedly turned up many rare metal sculptures said to be from the Dwapar period. Local Mahants have called the temple a person's property, which the district page says has confused the matter.

Tips for your visit

• The district page also names it Baba Bhawaneshwar Nath Temple and spells the place Devkuli.
• Sheohar district is one of the most flood-affected districts in Bihar, because of the Bagmati and Budhi Gandak rivers.

Questions people ask