Maa Tara Chandi Temple, Sasaram
Maa Tara Chandi (Shakti / Durga) temple · Sasaram, Rohtas, Bihar, India
Maa Tara Chandi Temple is a goddess shrine in a natural cave on a Kaimur hill of the Vindhya range at Sasaram, in Rohtas district, Bihar. The Rohtas district website describes the temple as sitting in this hill cave, and Wikipedia states that it is dedicated to Maa Shakti or Maa Durga.
Wikipedia, which cites a temple website and travel sources, calls it one of the oldest and most sacred temples of Sasaram and counts it among the 51 Shakta pithas. The temple is about 5 km from the town, according to Wikipedia.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Maa Tara Chandi Temple, Sasaram
According to Puranic tradition as recorded by Wikipedia, the right eye of Sati fell at this spot after Vishnu cut her body with the Sudarshan Chakra, which is why the site is regarded as a Shakti Pitha. This is a matter of tradition and belief rather than documented history.
Wikipedia also reports that the temple is considered the family goddess (kuldevi) of the Surwar Rajput Gaur dynasty, and that a local account holds that the Buddha received darshan of the goddess here as a girl child after his enlightenment. The article flags the second claim as needing a citation, so it is mentioned here only as a local account.
Wikipedia lists Navratri and Maha Shivaratri as the main festivals and describes daily worship including puja, shringar, aarti and a bhog of halwa-puri. Nearby sites mentioned in the same article include Gupta Mahadev, Manjhar Kund and Dhua Kund in the Kaimur hills.
Heritage
History of Maa Tara Chandi Temple, Sasaram
The Rohtas district website dates the statues of Maa Tara, Surya and a fragmentary Agni image in the complex to the late or later Gupta period. It also records a large inscription beside the goddess image, written in the twelfth century by the Kharwar chief Mahanayak Pratap Dhavaldev at the direction of his son Shatrudhan, and notes that the inscription shows the goddess's fame had already spread by then.
Wikipedia likewise mentions an inscription of Pratapdhavala on a rock near the temple. Beyond this, the sources consulted give no firm construction date; Wikipedia's infobox places the origin in the Dvapara Yuga, which is a traditional claim and not a historical date.
Architecture and sacred features
The Rohtas district page describes the main image as four-armed. The right hands hold a knife and scissors and the left hands hold a hood and a lotus; the left foot rests on a corpse, and the short, pot-bellied figure is shown wrapped in tiger skin. The shrine is a cave temple rather than a built structure, with other statues placed within the complex.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
This is an active goddess shrine in a hill cave. Dress modestly, follow the instructions of temple staff and keep to marked paths. Opening hours, ticket or darshan arrangements and festival dates are not reproduced here; confirm them locally before travelling. Published timings differ between listings, so rely on a local confirmation.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with the temple administration before travelling. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Maa Tara Chandi Temple, Sasaram
Navratri
Maha Shivaratri
Location
How to Reach Maa Tara Chandi Temple, Sasaram
The Rohtas district website lists Sasaram (SSM) as the nearest railway station and Patna, Varanasi and Gaya as the nearest airports. It says the temple is on the NH2 corridor, with road links to Patna, Ara, Delhi, Kolkata and Ranchi.
The temple lies in the hills a few kilometres outside Sasaram town, so local transport from the town is the usual way to reach the foot of the hill.
Location: Sasaram, Rohtas, Bihar, India
Nearest airport: Patna, Varanasi or Gaya
Nearest railway station: Sasaram (SSM)
More in Hindu temples in Bihar · Maa Tara Chandi (Shakti / Durga) temples · Temples in Rohtas District
Questions
Maa Tara Chandi Temple, Sasaram: Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maa Tara Chandi Temple?
In a cave on a Kaimur hill near Sasaram, Rohtas district, Bihar, about 5 km from the town according to Wikipedia.
Why is it called a Shakti Pitha?
According to Puranic tradition, Sati's right eye fell here, so devotees count it among the 51 Shakti Pithas. This is a belief and not a documented event.
How old is the temple?
The Rohtas district website dates the statues in the complex to the late Gupta period and records a 12th-century inscription by Pratap Dhavaldev. No firm construction date is given.
Which festivals are celebrated here?
Wikipedia lists Navratri and Maha Shivaratri as the main festivals.
How do I reach the temple?
Sasaram railway station is the nearest station, and the nearest airports are Patna, Varanasi and Gaya, per the Rohtas district website.
Who is the deity?
The goddess is worshipped as Maa Tara Chandi, regarded as a form of Shakti or Durga.
Sources and attribution
- Wikipedia — Maa Tara Chandi Temple
- Rohtas District Administration, Government of Bihar — Maa Tara Chandi Temple
Further reading: Maa Tara Chandi Temple, Sasaram on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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