My Journey to Religious Places: Dewri Mandir, Tamar (Got fame due to Dhoni's visits) and Sun Temple, Bundu near Ranchi

Dewri Mandir/Diuri Mandir at Tamar
Famous due to frequent visits of M S Dhoni

Dewri Mandir or Diuri Mandir is situated on Ranchi-Tata Road (NH-33) at Tamar. Distance of temple from Ranchi is about 60 km. This is a very old and small temple made of stone blocks which are put one over other without any cementing material. The idol of Goddess Durga with sixteen hands is worshiped here. Hence She is called "Solahbhuji Durga Maa" (Mother Durga with sixteen hands). Since the temple is situated at Dewri Villege, so devotees even call Her "Dewri Maa" or "Dewri Mata".

Side view of
old Dewri Temple at
Tamar

Only ten years back, very few people visited here but it shot to fame once it was known that successful captain of Indian Cricket team Mr Mahendra Singh Dhoni who belongs to Ranchi visits at least once whenever he comes to Ranchi between his busy schedule. Regular visits by M S Dhoni and his success made the popularity of this temple rocketing high. Now on Sundays and holidays the temple is crowded with devotees. With the increase in number of devotees, the income of temple management increased manifolds. They planned to make a bigger temple at the place but there was a problem. There is a myth that whosoever tried to dismantle the old stone block structure of the temple had to face the wrath of Goddess. So they decided to make the new temple over and around the old structure without disturbing it. There is a dome in the new structure just above the old temple. The new structure is being adorned with minute artworks. Due to this time taking job the work progress is very slow. In fact from the last four or five years the work is in progress and still a lot of work is to be done. For the devotees the new structure is a great respite in rainy season or in scorching heat.

Dewri Temple -Old Stone Blocks Temple.
Over it is visible ceiling of the dome
in new structure which is colorful

In this temple Brahman Pundit and Tribal priest (Pahan) both perform worship. The old temple inside which Goddess idol is placed has very little space. Not more than eight people can stand inside including two priests. The entrance is also low and congested, so the devotees are allowed in batches.

My Journey to "Dewri Mandir"
I had visited here many times in last ten years but my last visit was more than a year ago. So we planned to visit here on last Saturday with family. But a political party in Jharkhand called for a strike on the Saturday and we had to postpone it for Sunday. Once I had seen the rush on Sunday in the Dewri Temple and hesitated once but we were in a mood to visit there so fixed the plan. We got ready and left our residence at 8 AM.
Sunday morning had very little traffic in the city and the driving was easy. We got on the NH 33 at Namkom Bazar Chowk. NH 33 is under construction for the last few years. It is being widened. All the trees on the side of the old road has been cut. Some parts of the highway are good while others are under making. At few places diversions are also there. It took about two hours to reach "Dewri Mandir" at Tamar. Though the weather forecast was for a cloudy day but the whole day long it was clear sky and hot Sun. As soon as we reached there, we saw a large number of vehicles and could easily estimate the rush. I parked the car and bought "Puja Samagri" and stood in queue of devotees that were 500 in numbers approximately in the temple. Not much order was being maintained in the queue and many persons infiltrated into the queue now and then.
It took about two tiring hours in hot conditions before we entered the old temple. There have been some additions to the idol of Goddess. Someone has offered a silver-made face of the Goddess that has been fixed over the old stone face. Three to five years ago there was no electric bulb inside the Sanctum Sanctorum and the only light source was that of a lamp in front of Devi. In those times, it was difficult to have a good view of the idol but now an electric bulb has been provided. We offered the "Puja Samagri" and the Pundit put a "Tilak" on our forehead. We touched the feet of the Goddess and within 30 seconds we had to get out of there due to a heavy rush.

Place for coconut Breaking
at Diuri Temple, Tamar

In "Puja Samagri" there was a coconut with a hard shell and water inside. After worship, it is a ritual to break it. Near the steps of the temple, there is a place for this ritual. A trident (Trishool) was standing there beside which a stone was placed for breaking the coconut (Nariyal). A pundit was sitting there for tying the "Mouli" (Kuccha Thread) offered to Goddess. We too performed these rituals and stepped down to front of the temple. In the front is a platform for goat sacrifice and beside it few people were beating "Nagadaas(नगाड़ा)" (Drums).

'Dhela' fruit on the tree
in front of Dewri Temple

Around the temple we saw many trees of medium height that were full of purple fruits like "Jamun". At first I thought that they were the same fruits that we had seen and purchased at Rajrappa. Its name was "Pyar-paakad". I asked a local whether it was "Pyar-paakad". He informed me that it was not. Its name was "Dhela" which is edible but nobody likes its taste. He also told me that "Pyar-paakad" is called "Char" in their local language.
We gave drum-beaters some money and rushed to our vehicle. We were barefooted because our slippers were in the vehicle and in the scorching heat our feet were burning.

Kesor Fruit (Left) and peeled fruit (Right).
Like water chestnut it is found in ponds

Under a shade I saw a lady selling some local things. One of these attracted my attention. It was of the size of grapes, black and hairy. I asked her about it. She said that it was and edible fruit named as "Kesor" and it is found under the water in ponds. You have to peel off the outer hairy layer and inside white thing is edible. She showed me a peeled fruit. Luckily a local lady was buying it and seeing me curious recommended it. It is a rare fruit so costly too, She was selling it @ Rs 100 per kg. I bought 250 gms kept it with us.

Singh Dwar of Surya Mandir,
Bundu, Jharkhand

We took "Prasaad" and then drove back but we needed food urgently as we had not eaten anything from the morning but there is no good restaurant in the vicinity of the temple. Earlier we used to come to Bundu near the "Singh Dwar" of the Sun temple here. Many new line hotels have been opened near it. One of it was named "Picnic". We took our lunch there. Though they have tried to make it attractive from inside and outside but the food was not so tasty or up to our expectation.

Hanuman at Sun Temple, Bundu

After our hunger was satiated we decided to visit the Sun Temple which was just 300 m up the motor-able concrete road. The Sun Temple is made in the form of a big chariot with big horses seven in number and white in color in the front. Nine wheels of the chariot on each side are also made. The entrance is in a big hall. Just in front of the entrance gate, there is an idol of Hanuman facing the Sun God inside the hall. Next to the entrance hall is another big hall. In a room in this hall is the idol of the main god i.e. Sun God. On the left and right sides of this hall are idols of Shiva-Vishnu and Ganesha-Durga. There is space for circumambulation of the main deity.

Sun Temple/Surya Mandir, Bundu near Ranchi
The whole side view

The floors, inside and outside walls of the whole Sun-Temple are clad with white marble tiles. Even the windows have marble slabs with cuttings of sun-like holes for lighting. The temple is clean and peaceful. Here only darshan is allowed. Like other Sun Temples here too is a pond behind the temple. The greatest festival related to the Sun is "Chhath" in which "Arghya" is offered to Him near a water body like a pond, river, or sea. So the pond is used in "Chhath".

A lady selling Kesor Fruits
at Diuri Mandir, Tamar

Distance of Sun Temple, Bundu from Ranchi is about 50 km and the area is called Edalhatu. This temple is in an area which is full of hills and thin forests. Due to its situation at a height, the vast scenery around looks lovely. We stayed here for some time. Taking pictures inside the temple is prohibited so people were taking pics in front of the horses. We too took some pictures and got in the car for our return journey. By 3:00 PM we were back to our home. I peeled the "Kesor" fruits bought at Dewri and we tasted it. It was very similar in taste to water chestnut (Singhara).
Since both the temples are located on the side of NH 33, so communication is no problem. There are no good hotels or rest houses near these temples. For people coming from outside it is better to stay in hotels at Ranchi or Jamshedpur.

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