Every state or city of India has a few famous temples. Like the Ayodhya Ram Mandir and the temples of Krishna in Vrindavan. Similarly, Bihariji Temple is one of the most awe-inspiring of holy places. The temple is at a distance of 15 km from Buxar while its distance from Patna is 126 km. Miraculous stories are heard throughout the province. Seeing what this temple in Bihar does to the evil, Mughal invaders are reported to have abandoned their idea of desecrating it.
Bihariji Temple is about 400 years old. It was rebuilt in 1825 on the orders of the then-Maharaja of Dumraon, Bahadur Jaiprakash Singh. Bharat Ratna awardee Ustad Bismillah Khan and his father used to play Shehnai here. The glory of this temple is so immense that people come from far and wide to have a darshan of Krishna on the outskirts of Buxar.
The Mughals tried to loot this temple several times but failed every time. Seeing the repercussions, no invader could gather the courage to attack it.
Bihariji (Krishna) is worshipped here in a royal manner even today. The prasad offered here is referred to as rajbhog. Five aaratis are performed here every day. Bihariji and other deities are ‘woken up’ at 4 AM, after which aarati is performed. After the rituals between 9 o’clock and noon, the priest makes Bihariji take a nap, a cute practice showing the typical Hindu way of treating gods like ordinary humans with human-like needs, observed especially in Krishna temples across India.
The evening aarati happens at 7 PM and the last one is held at 9 PM. The door of the temple is then closed for the day.
On special occasions like Janmashtami, lakhs of devotees come here for darshan. On the occasion of Janmashtami, a fair is organised at a field near the temple.
Bihariji Temple has multiple deities though. Many in and around Bihar, for whom western Uttar Pradesh is far away, believe if one cannot visit Mathura and Vrindavan, a visit to the Bihariji temple suffices. Devotees swear by their wishes getting fulfilled merely by visiting this temple.
Buxar otherwise is a tourist attraction too.
- Katauli Maidan: Katauli Maidan is one of the most special places in Buxar. The battle of Buxar was fought in this field between the British and the Nawab of Bengal-Awadh. Today, the place is a centre of attraction, not for pilgrims but tourists.
- Buxar Fort: This fort located in Buxar is a historical site. This fort is located across the Ganga. King Bhojdev of Bihar built this historical fort. It is famous for the Battle of Buxar fought in 1764 too.
- Chausa: Situated in the Buxar district of Bihar, Chausa is both a village and a community development block. Positioned on the banks of the Ganga, it is located approximately 11 km west of the district headquarters. As of 2011, the village of Chausa had a population of 9,011 individuals, residing in 1,362 families. The total population of the block was 1,03,670, distributed across 15,817 households. This area holds historical significance due to the Battle of Chausa, which occurred in 1539. During this battle, Sher Shah Suri’s forces emerged victorious over Mughal emperor Humayun’s army. Additionally, Chausa is renowned for the Chausa hoard, a collection of 18 ancient Jain bronzes discovered at this site. Historical records of Chausa indicate that it was established by the Sakarwar Rajput of the Kamsar region, who converted to Islam in 1500. The Battle of Chausa, which took place on 25th June 1539, witnessed Humayun’s defeat at the hands of Sher Shah Suri (Sher Khan).
- Naulakha Temple: Just as the Bihariji temple is famous in Buxar, the Naulakha temple is famous here. It is dedicated to Krishna and Radha. There is also a statue of Saint Balananda Brahmachari in the temple. The temple was built on the advice of the saint.
