Cuttack Chandi Temple
One of the highly revered and oldest temples in Odisha is the Cuttack Chandi Temple. In the downtown of the city of Cuttack, the temple is comfortably located near the banks of River Mahanadi. Although small yet this beautiful temple is dedicated to Goddess Shakti who is placed here as Cuttack Chandi. Every year, the temple witnesses lakhs of devotees that come here from every corner of the country to perform the pilgrimage.
Moreover, the history of this temple is still not known but the stories and legends associated with the shrine date back to the late Hansa Panda - the purohit of then Kanika Raja of the city. As per the legend, he used to graze sheep and cattle on the land. One day while he was resting on the pile of dry mud, he experienced an odd feeling, and later that same night goddess Chandika came into his dream and asked him to take her out of the land.
He narrated the whole incident to the Kanika King who then ordered his workers to perform an excavation operation at that place. On digging up the place, 40 bullock carts of red sindoor along with an idol of goddess Katak Chandi were found. In that respect, a temple was built in the same place. In the hearts of the local devotees, the presiding deity is residing as The Living Goddess.
Today this famous temple in Cuttack observes a 16-day long Durga Puja which is also the prominent festival of this beautiful shrine. The festival marks its beginning on the day of Ashwin Krishna Ashtami and continues till Shukla Navami and Vijayadashami. During this time, the temple receives the maximum number of pilgrims which also includes some international tourists. Another famous festival of this temple is Kali Puja which is also celebrated with much zeal and ardor in Cuttack Chandi Temple.
History of Cuttack Chandi Temple
As mentioned in the historical books the place where presently the Temple of Goddess Chandi is situated was once a land used for nothing. The founder of the temple Late Shree Hans Panda, who was the purohit of the King of Kanika at that time used to graze the sheep and cattle on that land.
One day Sri Panda while making the cattle’s and the sheep’s graze, felt unusual and hence he rested on the dry mud over there. There he experienced very uncommon feelings within himself. The same sort of feeling he had that night and Goddess Chandi appeared in his dream and asked him to take her out of that land.
On the next day, he immediately went to the king and spoke about all that he witnessed. With the permission of the king digging of the land commenced and it is believed that some forty bullock carts of red Sindoor came out of the land and finally emerged the idol of Maa Katak Chandi. Later on, the temple was built on the same piece of land. It is also believed that in the medieval age during the rule of Gajapati Kingdom, Maa Katak Chandi was the family deity of the dynasty. Due to the non–Hindu attacks, she was buried under the ground and kings migrated to Puri.
After the death of Shree Hansa Panda his only son Late Sri Lakshmana Panda became the head priest of the Katak Chand Temple and he started worshiping by following the same rituals as his late father used to perform. Late Sri Lakshmana Panda had four daughters, named Champa, Mali, Tulasi, and Malati and all of them helped him in the daily rituals performed for worshiping Goddess Chandi.
To conceive a boy Late Sri Lakshmana Panda prayed to the Goddess Chandi and after several years of worship, he had a son who was named Sri Dayanidhi Panda. He then became the head priest of the temple. Sri Dayanidhi Panda had six sons namely Sri Narahari Panda, Sri Narayan Panda, Sri Somnath Panda, Sri Ratnakar Panda, Sri Loknath Panda, and Sri Chakradhar Panda. All of them are now performing the rituals with the same format as their great grandfather Late Sri Lakshmana Panda used to perform.
Architecture of Cuttack Chandi Temple
The Cuttack Chandi Temple is a revered Hindu temple in the city of Cuttack, India. Dedicated to the Goddess Chandi, the presiding deity of Cuttack, the temple is a significant religious site attracting devotees from across the country. The temple's architecture is a blend of Kalinga style and modern design, with intricate carvings adorning the walls and pillars.
The temple is particularly bustling during the Durga Puja and Kali Puja festivals when it is beautifully decorated and lit up. The serene ambiance of the temple, coupled with its spiritual significance, makes it a must-visit for those seeking a spiritual experience in Cuttack.
