Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara : In a narrow lane near Aranaya Devi is a two storey house where people queued up from 3.30 am on October 18, 2018, the ninth day of Sharadiya Navaratra to have a glimpse of Maa Aranaya Devi.
The Aranya Devi temple is situated between the Old and New Ara and is considered to be one of the “Siddh Peeth” in the country. People from all parts of India and also from abroad come here every year to offer prayer. It is said that Lord Ram on way to Mithila from Buxar along with his brother Laxman and Guru Vishwamitra had passed through Ara and had offered prayer here. Even Yudhishthir along with Bheem, Arjun, Nakul, Sahadev, and Draupadi, had worshiped at the temple during their wandering.
The temple has two main idols – smaller one is that of Maha Saraswati while the longer one is of Maha Kali. In the recent past, with the help of the residents of Ara, the temple was renovated and idols of Lord Ram, Laxman, Bharat, Shatrughan, Goddess Sita, Lord Hanuman and lord Shiva were also installed. Akhand Jyoti is illuminated during the nine day Sharadiya Navratra at the temple.
Though people of Ara visit this temple every day but during Sharadiya Navaratra, its importance increases manifold with thousands of people thronging the temple. At the temple, people also perform ‘yajna’.
Hundreds of people also thronged Sheetala Maata temple at Sheetal Tola for the ‘Maha Arti’ of Maa Sheetala on October 18 and were given ‘prasad’