Patna: The folklore and traditions associated with Maa Van Devi Temple in Bihta’s Anandpur area have reportedly found a place in the upcoming Bollywood film The Vvaan: Force of the Forest, bringing renewed attention to the religious site and its local traditions.
The film, which stars Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia, is understood to draw on the stories and beliefs surrounding the temple and the forested area around it.
The development has been welcomed by the Bihar Tourism Department, which highlighted the temple’s folklore on social media as an example of the state’s rich cultural and folk heritage.
Bihar Tourism Department Welcomes Film Connection
The Bihar Tourism Department shared a post on X expressing its appreciation for the inclusion of the Van Devi Temple’s folklore in the film.
The department said that folk stories associated with Bihar and passed down through generations are reaching a wider audience through cinema.
It also invited people to explore the faith, traditions and stories associated with the Van Devi Temple in Bihta, presenting the development as an opportunity to showcase Bihar’s cultural heritage.
Where Is The Van Devi Temple?
The Van Devi Temple is located in Anandpur, Bihta, in Patna district.
The shrine is associated with several local legends and religious traditions. Many of these stories have been passed down through oral traditions and are part of the faith of local devotees.
The temple is regarded by devotees in Bihta and surrounding areas as an important local religious site.
The Local Legend Behind Van Devi
According to one popular local tradition, the area around the temple was once covered by dense forest.
A local belief connects the site with the Pandavas, who are said to have passed through the region during their period of exile and worshipped the goddess.
Because the shrine was situated in a forested area, the goddess came to be known as Van Devi, meaning the forest goddess.
This account is part of local religious folklore and is not independently established as a historical record.
Another Tradition Links The Shrine To A Dream
Another story associated with the temple centres on a local devotee or spiritual practitioner who is believed to have seen the goddess in a dream.
According to the tradition, the goddess instructed the devotee to excavate a particular location. The subsequent excavation is said to have revealed a sacred idol.
Local residents and devotees are then believed to have established a shrine at the site.
As with the Pandava account, this story forms part of the temple’s oral tradition and religious belief rather than independently verified history.
Why Is Van Devi Temple Associated With A Mystery?
One of the traditions surrounding the temple concerns restrictions after sunset.
According to local belief cited in reports, people are traditionally discouraged from entering the temple and the surrounding forest after sunset. The temple is said to be closed in the evening, after which priests leave the premises.
This belief has contributed to the temple’s reputation as a place surrounded by mystery and folklore.
The same tradition reportedly forms an important part of the narrative of The Vvaan: Force of the Forest.
How The Temple Inspired The Film
According to the report, the film uses the local belief about the temple and forest after sunset as part of its story.
In the film’s narrative, the character played by Sidharth Malhotra enters the forest and temple area after sunset despite the restriction. This sets up a supernatural element in the story.
Promotional material for the film reportedly features a mysterious temple surrounded by dense forest, drawing similarities with the setting associated with Bihta’s Van Devi Temple.
The film therefore brings a local Bihar legend into a mainstream cinematic setting.
Filmmakers Spoke To Locals
The film’s makers reportedly researched the traditions associated with the temple while developing the screenplay.
Writer Arunabh Kumar and director Deepak Kumar Mishra are reported to have interacted with local residents, priests and villagers to understand the stories surrounding the shrine.
The accounts shared by people familiar with the temple reportedly helped the filmmakers incorporate elements of the local folklore into the film.
Chhath Also Features In The Film
The film is also reported to feature Chhath, one of Bihar’s most important festivals.
Chhath is observed widely across Bihar and other parts of north India and is closely associated with the region’s cultural identity.
Its inclusion alongside elements inspired by the Van Devi Temple provides the film with a broader representation of Bihar’s religious traditions and cultural setting.
A Tourism Opportunity For Bihta
The film’s connection with the Van Devi Temple could bring greater attention to the site among audiences outside Bihar.
For the Bihar Tourism Department, the development also provides an opportunity to highlight lesser-known religious and cultural destinations in the state.
The temple’s stories, however, remain rooted largely in local belief and oral tradition. Claims about its ancient history and supernatural associations should therefore be understood as folklore rather than established historical fact.
With the temple now receiving attention through a mainstream film, Bihta’s Van Devi shrine is set to gain wider visibility while remaining an important part of the religious traditions of the local community.
