| Some, however,
doubt whether the name Patna has been derived from the temples. According to them the
name is derived from patan which means a town and Patna was a big place of export and
import. In the temple of Bari Patan Devi the three small images of the three goddesses
viz., Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and MahaSaraswati arethe legendary three presiding guardian
deities who protected Putraka, the founder of Pataliputra, as is mentioned inKathasarit
Sagar. In a tank near the temple was found a peculiar stone image. It has been kept in a
niche in the eastern verandah of the temple and is now worshipped as a goddess.
The temple of Bari Patan Devi faces to the north. At the
entrance of the temple there is a portico of about 1, 5' x 15'. After that there is a room
of about 8' x 8' for goddesses namely, Mahakali (12"), Maha. Lakshmi (6"), Maha
Saraswati (12") and Bhairav (3"). They are in a standing pose on a simhasan,
which is about 4’ square, the height being about 7 feet. All the statues are of black
stone. |
