India is home to a number of temples where towering idols, elaborate carvings and grand entrances announce the presence of a deity. And then there is a temple in Bihar which is known as Maa Van Devi Temple. Situated close to Bihta, this temple has the goddess worshipped not through a conventional idol but as a sacred pind. Recent attention around Sidharth Malhotra’s upcoming film The Vvaan: Force of the Forest has brought its centuries-old story back into the spotlight. Is the film inspired by the temple?The answer is Yes. The filmmakers themselves say the film is inspired by the real Van Devi Temple near Bihta and its folklore. Film writer Arunabh Kumar, in a recent interview said that he himself visited the temple and spoke to local people and priests there. The tradition about people being forbidden from entering the forest after sunset is part of the local legend.Let’s find out more about this unique temple in PatnaLocationMaa Van Devi is located some 35 km from Patna, at the meeting point of Amhara, Raghopur and Kanchanpur villages. The shrine has become a fascinating destination for travellers interested in Bihar’s lesser-known attractions and living traditions.The story of Van DeviAs per local belief, the story of Van Devi started centuries ago when the area around present-day Bihta was heavily forested. The temple is believed to be over 350 to 400 years old, while the filmmakers have referred to its origins as dating to the 16th century. Because these dates come from local tradition and media accounts rather than a definitive archaeological record, it is best understood as a centuries-old shrine.Connection with Maa Vindhyavasini
Arunabh visited Van Devi (PC: Instagram)
Local folklore also connects the temple to Maa Vindhyavasini of Vindhyachal. As per folklore, a devotee named Vidyanand Mishra from Raghopur, used to worship the goddess at Vindhyachal with whole heart. As he grew older, travelling such a long distance became difficult for him. One day, the goddess appeared to him in a dream and instructed him to bring a portion of her sacred pind to the place where he lives.It is said that Mishra followed the instructions of the goddess and brought the sacred pind and established it in the forest close to his village. There was no grand temple at the time, only the pind placed inside a hut.Because the shrine stood amid a forest, the goddess eventually became known as Van Devi, or the Goddess of the Forest.From a hut to a templeA major transformation began in 1958, when saint Bhagwan Das Tyagi visited Amhara for a yajna. He is credited locally with giving the humble structure around the sacred pind a more formal temple form. Another important chapter began on February 12, 1997, when local devotees took up further construction and development of the shrine.Till date, there’s no idol but only a pind. For travellers, this is perhaps the most interesting aspect of the visit.No visits allowed after sunsetAnother fascinating aspect of the temple is that no one is allowed inside the forest or temple after the sunset. It has given the temple an almost mysterious reputation. Once the temple doors are closed after sunset, the priest leaves and nobody stays behind. According to folklore, Maa Van Devi herself is then believed to roam the temple premises.However, there is no evidence that a supernatural presence actually appears at night. But the tradition has been passed down through generations and is an important part of the shrine’s identity.How to reach Maa Van Devi Temple from Patna
Van Devi in the form of Pind (PC: Instagram)
By road: Driving is the best option from Patna. The journey from Patna is roughly 35 km.By train: For travellers arriving by rail, Bihta railway station (BTA) is the closest railhead. It is connected with Danapur. Travellers arriving at Patna Junction can also travel towards Bihta by road.By air: The nearest major airport is Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport in Patna. Bihta is roughly 28–30 km from the airport by road, depending on traffic.Van Devi is not a monument. Its story continues to live through legend and folklore. And perhaps that is what makes this little-known temple near Patna so fascinating.