Munger. An eye of Maa Sati is worshiped at Maa Chandika temple in Munger district of Bihar and devotees get freedom from eye related disorders. It is believed that the left eye of Mother Sati fell at this place. Here people suffering from incurable diseases of the eyes come to worship and take kajal from here. People believe that this kajal removes the disorders of the eye patients.
Devotees suffering from eye diseases come to Chandika temple with the hope of getting rid of eye diseases. It is believed that no devotee returns disappointed. Devotees from all corners of the state reach this temple to fulfill the wishes of children and other desires of life. It is believed that the kajal of this temple cures all kinds of eye problems. Devotees suffering from far and wide reach here to get the kajal of the temple. During Navratra-puja, till Navami, a crowd of devotees is seen in this temple. By queuing, devotees offer water to the eyes of Mother Chandika with this arrangement.
The temple also has separate temples of Lord Shankar, Mata Parvati, nine planetary deities, Maa Kali and Maa Santoshi and Lord Hanuman, where devotees offer prayers. On normal days a large number of devotees visit the temple every Tuesday. There is a cremation ground to the east and west of the temple. For this reason this temple is also known as ‘Shamshan Chandika’. Tantriks also gather here for tantra-siddhi during Navratri Puja.
The history of this temple is also said to be related to the Mahabharata period. It is a popular belief that the king of Anga country, Karna, was a devotee of Maa Chandika and used to jump into a pan of boiling oil every day. In this way he used to worship Maa Chandika by giving his life. Mother used to be very pleased with this sacrifice of his and every day she used to make King Karna alive. Apart from this, Mata used to give gold to Karna for half a mind. King Karna used to take that gold to Karnachaida in Munger and distribute it among the poor.
King Vikramaditya of Ujjain got this information. One day King Vikramaditya changed his disguise and reached the country of Anga. He saw that Maharaja Karna, after bathing in the Ganges at Brahma Muhurta, jumps into a cauldron of boiling oil placed in front of Mother Chandika and Mother revives him by sprinkling nectar on his bone-dead body. Mother also used to give him a quarter of a man’s gold as a reward. One day, secretly King Vikramaditya reached the temple before the arrival of King Karna and jumped into the pan of boiling oil. Later, as usual, the mother revived him. He ended his body by jumping into the cauldron three times in a row and Mother revived him every time. For the fourth time, the mother stopped him and asked him to ask for a boon. King Vikramaditya asked the mother for a bag of gold and a pot of nectar. It is believed that after giving both the things, the mother overturned the cauldron kept there and sat inside it.
