Bhattarika Temple, Cuttack - Timings, History, Darshan, Pooja Timings

At a distance of 81 km from Cuttack, and 87 km from Bhubaneswar, Bhattarika Temple is a Hindu temple located at Sasanga village in the Baramba tehsil of Cuttack district in Odisha, India. It is one of the popular pilgrimage sites in Orissa, and among the top tourist places near Cuttack.

Located on the banks River Mahanadi, Bhattarika Temple is dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Maa Bhattarika. She is worshipped as an incarnation of Shakti, the goddess of power, by the people of Odisha. There is no official record of the exact date of construction of the temple. The temple is also entitled 'Shakti Pitha' which means the native place of Goddess Shakti.

This Shakti Peetha holds significance for the Hindus as legend has it that Goddess Durga had appeared and blessed Parasurama at the very spot where the temple stands today. The temple is also believed to have its connection with the Oriya Ramayana. According to the Oriya Ramayana, God Ram, Laxman along with Mata Sita worshiped goddess Bhattarika while they were travelling to Panchavati. On the other side of the River Mahanadi, now also the foot marks of Sri Ram, Laxman and Mata Sita can be found.

Surrounded by the magnificent view of the river plains and the beautiful range of Ratnagiri Mountains, the place has a rustic charm to it. The temple houses eight small images of Goddess Bhattarika. Of these eight, three are in the Lalitasana holding a lotus in one hand and Varadamudra in the other hand, and all the other five are in padmasana. An image which is also in the Lalitasana has Pasha, Bow, Arrow and Ankusha in her four hands and hence it is known as Para Bhattarika.

The temple witnesses a rush of visitors and devotees throughout the year. Festivals of Makar Sankranti in January, Pana Sankranti in April, Akshaya Tritiya in May, and Dussehra in October are celebrated here with great enthusiasm.

Timings: 5 AM - 1 PM & 3 PM - 7 PM

Entry: Free