The Biraja Temple, or ''Birija Kshetra'' ( Odia:ବିରଜା ମନ୍ଦିର, Birajā Kṣetra), is a historic

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, also known as Mandir, Devasthanam, Pura, or Kovil, is a sacred place where Hindus worship and show their devotion to Hindu deities, deities through worship, sacrifice, and prayers. It is considered the house of the god to who ...

located in

Jajpur Jajpur (also known as Jajapur) () is a town and a municipality in Jajpur district in the Indian state of Odisha. It was the capital of the Kesari dynasty, later supplanted by Cuttack. It is the headquarter of Jajpur district. Etymology a ...

(about north of

Bhubaneswar Bhubaneswar () is the capital and the largest city of the States and territories of India, Indian state of Odisha. It is located in the Khordha district. The suburban region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as ''Chakra ...

Odisha Odisha (), formerly Orissa (List of renamed places in India, the official name until 2011), is a States and union territories of India, state located in East India, Eastern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by ar ...

, India. The present temple was built during the 13th century. The principal

idol Idol or Idols may refer to: Religion and philosophy * Cult image, a human-made object that is venerated or worshipped for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents * Murti, a devotional image of a deity or saint used during puja ...

is Devi Durga, who is worshipped as Viraja (Girija), and the temple gave Jajpur the nicknames "Viraja Kshetra" and "Biraja Peetha". The

Durga Durga (, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around combating evils and demonic ...

idol has two hands (''dwibhuja''), spearing the chest of

Mahishasura Mahishasura (, ) is a bovine asura in Hinduism. He is depicted in Hindu texts, Hindu literature as a deceitful demon who pursued his evil ways by shape-shifting. Mahishasura was the son of the asura Rambha (asura), Rambha and the brother of buf ...

with one hand and pulling his tail with the other. One of her feet is on a lion, and the other is on Mahishasura's chest. Mahishasura is depicted as a

water buffalo The water buffalo (''Bubalus bubalis''), also called domestic water buffalo, Asian water buffalo and Asiatic water buffalo, is a large bovid originating in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Today, it is also kept in Italy, the Balkans ...

. The idol's crown features

Ganesha Ganesha or Ganesh (, , ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva (Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in the Ganapatya sect. His depictions ...

, a crescent moon and a

lingam A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or Aniconism, aniconic representation of the Hinduism, Hindu Hindu deities, god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Up ...

. The temple covers a large area, and has several shrines to

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

and other deities. According to the ''

Skanda Purana The ''Skanda Purana'' ( IAST: Skanda Purāṇa) is the largest '' Mukhyapurāṇa'', a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts. The text contains over 81,000 verses, and is of Shaivite literature, titled after Skanda, a son of Shiva and Parv ...

'' it cleanses pilgrims, and it is called the ''Viraja'' or the ''Biraja kshetra''. Jajpur is believed to have about one

crore Crore (; abbreviated cr) denotes the quantity ten million (107) and is equal to 100 lakh in the Indian numbering system. In many international contexts, the decimal quantity is formatted as 10,000,000, but when used in the context of the India ...

Shiva lingam A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Upanishads and epic literature, wher ...

In Tantra

The ''Brahmayamala Tantra'' has a hymn, "Aadya Stotra", dedicated to

Shakti Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; 'energy, ability, strength, effort, power, might, capability') in Hinduism, is the "Universal Power" that underlies and sustains all existence. Conceived as feminine in essence, Shakti refer ...

. In the hymn,

Vimala Vimala may refer to: People *U Vimala (1899–1962), Burmese Buddhist monk *Vimalakka (born 1964), Indian balladeer *Vimala Devi (born 1932), Indian writer *Vimala Raman, Indian dancer *Vimala Rangachar (1929–2025), Indian educationist and cultu ...

is the goddess of

Puri Puri, also known as Jagannath Puri, () is a coastal city and a Nagar Palika, municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, south of the state ca ...

and Viraja (Girija) is the goddess worshipped in the

Utkala Kingdom Utkala kingdom was located in the northern and eastern portion of the modern-day Indian state of Odisha. This kingdom was mentioned in the epic Mahabharata, with the names ''Utkala'', ''Utpala'', and ''Okkal''. It is mentioned in India's nationa ...

, which became Odisha. According to the ''Tantra Chudamani'', Sati's navel fell in the Utkala Kingdom, also known as "Viraja kshetra".

Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (8th c. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya (, ), was an Indian Vedanga, Vedic scholar, Hindu philosophy, philosopher and teacher (''acharya'') of Advaita Vedanta. Reliable information on Shankara's actual life is scant, and h ...

, in his ''Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha Stuti'' describes the goddess as Girija. In

Tantra Tantra (; ) is an esoteric yogic tradition that developed on the India, Indian subcontinent beginning in the middle of the 1st millennium CE, first within Shaivism and later in Buddhism. The term ''tantra'', in the Greater India, Indian tr ...

literature, the Oddiyana Peetha (

Devnagari Devanagari ( ; in script: , , ) is an Indic script used in the Indian subcontinent. It is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental writing system), based on the ancient '' Brāhmī'' script. It is one of the official scripts of India and ...

:ओड़्याण पीठ) is located in eastern India near the

Vaitarani River The Baitarani (also spelled Vaitarani) is one of six major rivers of Odisha, India. Venerated in popular Indian epic poetry, epics and legends, the Baitarani River is a source of water for agricultural irrigation. The coastal plain of Odisha ...

(an Oddiyana is an ornament worn by a woman around her navel).

Sree Bagalamukhi Deity

There is a separate shrine for Sree Bagalamukhi Devi, which is right of Maa Biraja. One can find very few temples for this Roopa of Dasamahavidya.

Nabhi Gaya

Pitapuram holds the Pada Gaya, the Sira Gaya is found in Bihar, the Nabhi Gaya is found here in the form of a well. Pitru Pooja (Pinda Daan, Tarpan, Tithi) are performed here. The temple itself arranges the priests and the pooja items.

Rituals and festivals

The primary ritual in the temple is Sharadiya

Durga Puja Durga Puja (ISO 15919, ISO: , ), also known as Durgotsava or Shaaradotsava, is an annual festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which pays homage to the Hinduism, Hindu goddess Durga, and is also celebrated because of Durga's victo ...

, which begins on the night of Krishna Paksha Ashtami. This falls before

Mahalaya Pitri Paksha (, ), also spelt Pitru Paksha, is a 16-lunar day period in the Hindu calendar when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors ( Pitri), especially through food offerings. The period is also known as Pitarpas, Pitri Paksha/Pitr-Paksha, P ...

, and ends on

Ashwin Ashvin or Ashwin or Ashwan (; ; Malay/ Indonesian: ''Aswin''; Thai: ''Asawin''), also known as Aswayuja, is the seventh month of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, the solar Tamil calendar, where it is known as Aippasi, and the solar Indian nation ...

Shukla Paksha Navami. The ''puja'', known as Shodasha Dinatatmika Puja, lasts for 16 days. The ''ratha'' (chariot festival) is known as Simhadhwaja, and its flag bears a lion. During the lunar transition from Shukla Ashtami to Shukla Navami an animal sacrifice, ''Bali Daanam'', is performed.

Navratri Navaratri () is an annual Hindu festival observed in honor of the goddess Durga, an aspect of Adi Parashakti, the supreme goddess. It spans over nine nights, first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and aga ...

is celebrated as ''Aparajita Puja''. Other festivals include

Nakshatra Nakshatra () is the term for Lunar mansion in Hindu astrology and Buddhist astrology. A nakshatra is one of 27 (sometimes also 28) sectors along the ecliptic. Their names are related to a prominent star or asterisms in or near the respective s ...

Shravana Shravana (Devanagari: श्रवण), also known as Thiruvonam in Tamil and Malayalam (Tamil: திருவோணம், Malayalam: തിരുവോണം), is the 22nd ''nakshatra'' or ''lunar mansion'' as used in Hindu astronomy, Hindu ca ...

, Prathamastami,

Pana Sankranti Maha Bishuba Sankranti (), also known as Pana Sankranti, (), is the traditional new year day festival of Odia people in Odisha, India. The festival occurs in the solar Odia calendar (the lunisolar Hindu calendar followed in Odisha) on the first ...

, Raja Parva and Navanna. Devi is worshipped daily in accordance with

and Agama traditions as

Mahishasuramardini Durga (, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around combating evils and demonic ...

by the

Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...

s of

Transportation

The nearest railway station is

Cuttack Cuttack (, or officially Kataka in Odia language, Odia ), is the former capital, deputy capital and the 2nd largest city of the Indian state of Odisha. It is also the headquarters of the Cuttack district. The name of the city is an anglicised f ...

and Jajpur Keonjhar Road. From there regular buses can be availed to Jajpur town. Mostly private buses run regularly in Orissa. Autos connect Cuttack railway station to Badambadi bus stand, which is hardly 3 km away. The bus from Cuttack to Jajapur town takes 2 to hours. From Jajpur road to Jajpur town travelling time by road will be more than one hour. Also buses are available from

. Buses which have express written on the buses are quicker than local buses.

Accommodation

A couple of lodges are next to the temple and another is being constructed.

References

More About Temples JajpurBiraja Temple Official WebsitePictures of Biraja TempleReport on Biraja Temple

External links

* ttp://sekharnpc-howjyothirlingascanbe14.blogspot.com/2009/09/18-shakti-peeth-ashta-dasha-shakti.html Oddyane Girija Devibr>Maa Biraja Website Developer & AdviserMaa Biraja Devi Shakti Peeth Darshan Full Video
{{Shakti temples in Odisha Hindu temples in Jajpur district Shakta pithas