Surya Mandir (Sun Temple) is located in Surajpur, also called Baragaon, in the Nalanda district of Bihar. The temple stands beside the sacred Suraj Pokhar (Sun Pond), which is central to all rituals here.
The temple is dedicated to Surya (the Sun God), who is the main presiding deity. Devotees also find idols of other Hindu gods and goddesses, including a striking five-foot image of Goddess Parvati. Local belief holds this temple as one of the twelve great Sun shrines (Suryadhams) of India.
The temple site is considered very ancient, with references going back many centuries. Archaeological explorations around Nalanda and Baragaon have unearthed several Pala-period (8th–12th century CE) sculptures of Hindu and Buddhist deities, proving the long tradition of worship here. While the current shrine structure is of later construction, the sacred pond and the images inside the temple link it to an age-old legacy of sun worship.
The Surajpur/Baragaon area has been a centre of sun worship for over a thousand years. In the 1970s, archaeologists recorded numerous Pala-era images of Surya, Vishnu, Shiva, Tara, Buddha, and Ganesha around this site, some of which are preserved in museums, while others remain worshipped locally. Tradition says the original temple near the pond was shifted into the village in the 17th century to protect it from Mughal destruction. The site continues to be regarded as one of the most important religious landmarks of Bihar.
Long ago, Samba, the son of Lord Krishna and Queen Jambavati, was cursed with the terrible disease of leprosy. He suffered greatly and sought a way to free himself from this curse. Learned sages advised him that only by worshipping Lord Surya, the Sun God, with deep devotion, could he be cured.
Obeying their words, Samba travelled to Surajpur (Baragaon) in Nalanda, where the sacred Suraj Pokhar (Sun Pond) was located. There, he took a holy bath and began his penance to Surya. For many days he offered prayers and austerities to the rising and setting Sun, standing in the waters of the pond and giving arghya (water offerings) with full faith.
Pleased by Samba’s deep devotion, Lord Surya appeared before him and blessed him. By Surya’s grace, Samba was cured of his leprosy. Out of gratitude, Samba built a Sun temple at this very place, installing the idol of Surya for worship so that others, too, could receive blessings and healing.
Because of this legend, the Surya Mandir at Baragaon is believed to have great healing powers, especially for skin diseases. The seven ponds and seven wells in the area are also considered holy and filled with curative properties. Local tradition says that the practice of offering arghya to the Sun during sunrise and sunset, which is the central ritual of Chhath Puja, began here in Surajpur.
Thus, this temple is revered as one of the twelve great Surya shrines (Suryadhams) of India, and devotees believe that sincere worship here fulfills wishes, removes diseases, and brings the grace of the Sun God.
The temple is most famous for Chhath Puja, celebrated with great devotion twice a year—in Kartika (October–November) and in Chaitra (March–April/May). During these festivals, thousands of devotees gather at the Suraj Pokhar to bathe in the holy water and offer arghya to the Sun at sunrise and sunset. It is believed that wishes are fulfilled and illnesses are cured here. Apart from Chhath, Sundays are also considered special for Surya worship.
