My Journey to Religious Places: Maya Tungri Mandir - The Mahamaya Temple, Ramgarh, Jharkhand

Location

Goddess Mahamaya at Maya Tungri Mandir
at Ramgarh, Jharkhand

When you go to Ramgarh from Ranchi via Ormanjhi, you go through the Ramgarh Ghati. The four-lane road is good to travel. This Ghati is between Toll plaza, Ormanjhi and Ramgarh with about 6.5 km length. Just before entering Ramgarh you get a look of Maya Tungri hillock which is just beside the road. The temple at the top is visible from a distance.

Introduction of Goddess

Shivalinga in a cave at Maya-Tungri Temple
at Ramgarh, Jharkhand

This is a very old temple. According to Pujari Ji, it is about 300 years old. Till ten years ago the temple was simple as a hut and there was no idol or statue, instead, there was a "Shira" (A small round lump like structure). Such "Shira"s are still prevalent in many small village Devi temples. The Devi here is Mahamaya Goddess. This goddess is so powerful that She can even take God Vishnu under her influence. As it is said in the first Chapter (Adhyay) of Sridurga Saptshati that when God Vishnu was sleeping on the Ksheer Sagar under the influence of Goddess Mahamaya, earwax from the ears of Vishnu fell down and they turned into two fearful Demons named Madhu and Kaitabh. These demons saw Brahma sitting on a lotus flower which was put on the naval of sleeping Vishnu. They ran to kill Brahma. Brahma expected Vishnu to save him but He was sleeping under the influence of Mahamaya. So Brahma prayed to Goddess Mahamaya to let Vishnu wake up to save him. The Brahma's prayers are known as "Ratrisukta". The Goddess pleased with Brahma's prayers allowed Vishnu to wake up. Vishnu then killed both demons and saved Brahma. This Goddess Mahamaya is known as Maya Devi among local people. The small hillock (Pahadi) is said Tungri in the local language, hence this place is locally known as "Maya Tungri" located at Kankebar area at Ramgarh.

Distance from Ranchi

Image Source: Google Maps

It is about 38 km from Ranchi and about an hour's journey by a car. The road is fine and you can see the forest on both sides of the road when out of the town. There is a Toll-gate at Ormanjhi which takes Rs 100 for one way journey and Rs 150 for both ways within 24 hours. The car will go up to the one-third height of the hillock. The parking space is good and pucca but the approach road from the main road is still kuchcha and under construction. Rest to-third height has pucca steps up to the temple. Solar lights are provided for evening visitors. Water is pumped through pipes from the boring at the base to the temple.

The temple at present

Now the main temple is a pucca structure with three idols in it. In the middle is the Goddess Mahamaya. The idol is a Goddess' head. Another idol is of Durga riding a lion. The third idol is of Sri Hanuman. There is a small Kali temple in front of this main temple with a black Kali idol facing South.

Since there must be a Shiva temple near the Devi temple, there is a Shivalinga here which is inside a natural Cave like structure. It is on the right side of the temple at a down level. The way is Kuchcha and rocky. Locals call it Naag-Baba because of a Nag snake which is seen occasionally here. Darshan of Nag (seeing the snake) is said to be fruitful. You can buy Prasadam here to offer to the Goddess.

Steps to go uphill

The uphill going is tiresome for older people but once you reach the top it is very peaceful and beautiful around. One side you can see the highway in the Ghati and on the other is villages, fields and some chimneys which look smaller in size.

People have much faith in the Mahamaya Goddess and believe that She will fulfill their desires. Have time and visit this temple. Jai Maa Mahamaya _/\_.

===<<<O>>>===