Akhandalamani Temple

Akhandalamani Mandir
Akhandalamani Mandir
Akhandalamani Mandir Akhandalamani Mandir
Geography
Coordinates	20°48′42.322″N 86°39′18.853″E / 20.81175611°N 86.65523694°E / 20.81175611; 86.65523694Coordinates: 20°48′42.322″N 86°39′18.853″E / 20.81175611°N 86.65523694°E / 20.81175611; 86.65523694
Country	India
State/province	Orissa
District	Bhadrak
Elevation	7 m (23 ft)
Culture
Primary deity	Shiva
Important festivals	Mahashivaratri
Architecture
Number of temples	1
Number of monuments	1
History and governance
Date built	1830 CE
Creator	Niladri Samara Singha Mohapatra
Website	babaakhandalamani.nic.in

Akhandalamani Temple at Aradi village, Odisha, India, is dedicated to Lord Siva. Aradi is about 37 kilometres (23 mi) away from Bhadrak. The present fifty-foot cement and concrete temple structure replaced a wooden temple some time between 1830-1840 AD.

Location & transportation

This famous temple, the abode of “Lord Siva” is located in the bank of river Baitarani, at Aradi,^[1] 37 kilometres (23 mi) to the east of the district headquarters of Bhadrak via Asurali, Kothara and Dhusuri. This place is also linked to Chandabali by boat through the river Baitarani. From Chandabali ferry ghat to Aradi it will take hardly two hours by boat. The temple is just 18 km away from the famous Kali mandir of Rameswarpur Rameswarpur village

Legend/History

There is no conclusive history available either regarding Baba Akhandalamani or the temple of the lord Siva. According to legend, around 350 years ago during the rule of Raja Sri Niladri Samara Singha Mohapatra, one early morning the Raja sent a peasant to cultivate his paddy field on the bank of the river Baitarani. While cultivating, the blade of his plough was broken by hitting with some hard material. The peasant was astonished and found a black glazed granite stone full of blood flowing toward the river Baitarani. The peasant ran to call King Niladrisamar Singhm and he hurriedly came to the spot, finding a flood of milk in place of blood and a huge black cobra hooding the stone.

That night the king had a dream regarding the arrival of the God Akhandalamani on that place. This news spread like wild fire in the locality. The next day King Niladri Samara Singha Mohapatra started worshiping the great god and immediately built a wooden temple on the spot. A large number of devotees from different villages started visiting and worshiping the great God. The king invited five Brahmins from a village named Naharagrama of Jajapur district to perform seva-puja (worshiping and taking care) of lord Akhandalamani.

The present main temple of Aradi was built by the King of Konika Shri Harihara Bhanja and his chief queen Satyabhama Patadei. The height of the temple is around 150 ft. All the stones used in this temple were brought from the historic hill of Lalitgiri near Chandikhol.

Temple

The main hall was built by a sage named Shri Narasingha Pratap Kumar and the surrounding wall of the temple was built by a noted sage named Shri Darshan Sekhara Das. Later, today's Bhoga Mandapa near the temple (along with the present temple office) was built by government initiative. The P.W.D road from Bhadrak to Aradi was declared State Highway and was converted into all-weather road instead of fair-weather road. A Pantha Nivas was built at Aradi by Tourism Dept., Govt. of Odisha. The Govt. of Odisha sanctioned a handsome amount for the temple.^[2] There was one reported incidence of theft and burglary at the temple.^[3]

Festivals

There are many fairs and festivals observed at the temple of Baba Akhandalamani like Mahasibaratri which is locally called Jagara mela. On this day pilgrims and devotees inside and outside the state are assembled and worship Akhandalamani at Aradi.^[4] Bol bam devotees come to Aradi in large number from different areas in the month of Sravana to worship the God and pour holy water over the Linga. The Bol bam devotees carry holy water from different rivers of India like Ganges, Baitarani, Mahanadi, Salandi, Peta etc. with a bamboo lever.

Controversy

In January 2009, the women and child development minister of Odisha was objected by the sevayats for desecrating the temple since she comes from a lower cast.^[5]

References

↑ Parmeshwaranand, Swami (2004). Encyclopaedia of the Śaivism (1st ed.). New Delhi: Sarup & Sons. p. 48. ISBN 8176254274.
↑ Official Website of Baba Akhandalamani
↑ "Unknown miscreants loot cash, jewellery from Akhandalamani temple in Odisha". Orissadiary. 13 Jul 2009.
↑ "Devotees throng Odisha temples on Shivratri". Topnews. 3 Feb 2011.
↑ "Caste abuse in temple". The Telegraph (Calcutta). 15 Jan 2009.

External links

Hindu temples in Odisha

Bhubaneswar

Shiva temples	Aisanyesvara Siva Temple Akhadachandi Temple Astasambhu Temples Bhima Kunda Bhringesvara Siva Temple Bhrukutesvar Siva Temple Brahmeswara Temple Byamokesvara Temple Chakreshvari Siva Temple Champakesvara Siva Temple Chandrasekhara Mahadeva Temple Chintamanisvara Siva Temple Devasabha Temple Dishisvara Siva Temple Gangesvara Siva Temple Gosagaresvar Siva Temple Jaleswar Siva Temple Precinct Kalika Siva Temple Kapilesvara Siva Temple Kedareswar Temple Labesvara Siva Temple Ladu Baba Temple Lakhesvara Siva Temple Lingaraj Temple Madneswar Siva Temple Mangalesvara Siva Temple Manibhadresvara Temple - II Mukteswar Temple Nagesvara Temple, Bhubaneswar Pabaneswara Temple Papanasini Siva Temple Parsurameswar Temple Purvesvara Siva Temple Rajarani Temple Rameshwar Deula Sarvatresvara Siva Temple Siddhesvara Siva Temple Subarnesvara Siva Temple Suka Temple Sukutesvara Temple Svapnesvara Siva Temple Talesvara Siva Temple Tirthesvara Siva Temple Uttaresvara Siva Temple Vaital Deula Yameshwar Temple

Vishnu temples	Ananta Vasudeva Temple Bharati Matha Gandhi Garabadu Precinct Vishnu Temple Ram Mandir, Bhubaneswar Vishnu Temple, Bhubaneswar

Shakti temples	Chausathi Jogini Temple Parvati Temple, Odisha

Other temples	Brahma Temple, Bindusagar Hanuman Temple, Kedara-Gouri Sivatirtha Matha

Cuttack district

Shiva temples	Chateshwar Temple Dhabaleswar Simhanath Temple

Vishnu temples	Madhava Temple

Shakti temples	Bhattarika Temple Charchika Temple Cuttack Chandi Temple Durga Temple, Baideshwar Durga Temple, Motia

Other temples	Brahma Temple, Niali

Puri district

Shiva temples	Beleswar Temple Lokanatha Temple Markandeshwar Temple

Vishnu temples	Alarnatha Mandira Chakra Narasimha Temple Gundicha Temple Jagannath Temple, Puri Narasimha Temple, Puri Sakshigopal Temple

Shakti temples	Bata Mangala Temple Kakatpur Mangala Temple Mausi Maa Temple Ramachandi Temple Varahi Deula, Chaurasi Vimala Temple

Sun temples	Konark Sun Temple

Other temples	Govardhana matha Emar Matha

Western Odisha

Shiva temples	Kosaleswara temple Leaning Temple of Huma

Vishnu temples	Nrusinghanath Temple Patali Srikhetra

Shakti temples	Lankeswari Temple Samaleswari Temple Sureswari temple

Other temples	Harishankar Temple Sasisena Temple

Rayagada district

Shiva temples	Bhimashankar Chatikona Nilakantheswar Temple Pataleswar

Vishnu temples	Jagannath Temple, Gunupur Jagannath Temple, Rayagada Laxminarayan temple, Therubali

Shakti temples	Maa Markama Temple Majhighariani Temple

Other

Shiva temples	Ajaikapada Bhairava Temple Akhandalamani Temple Annakoteshvara Temple Bhuvaneshwar Temple, Boudh Chandaneswar Gupteswar Cave Godhaneswar temple Indralath Temple Kapilash Temple Murga Mahadeva Shrine Nilakantheswar Temple Panchalingeshwar Sekhareswar Temple

Vishnu temples	Anantasaayi Vishnu Temple Ananta Shayana Anantashayana Vishnu Baladevjew Temple Chhatia Bata Jagannath Temple, Baripada Jagannath Temple, Dharakote Jagannath Temple, Koraput Jagannath Temple, Nayagarh Khirachora Gopinatha Temple Lakhmi Varaha Temple Narayana Gosain Temple Nilamadhav Temple Odogaon Raghunath Temple Varahanatha Temple

Shakti temples	Bhadrakali Temple, Aharapada Bhagabati Temple, Banapur Biraja Temple Ghanteswari Temple Goddess Maheshwari Kalijai Kanaka Durga, Raulapalli Kichakeshwari Temple Maa Barunei Temple Maa Tarini Temple, Ghatgaon Maa Ugra Tara Maa Markama Temple Mahishamardini Temple Majhighariani Temple Manikeshwari Temple Marichi temple Mausimaa Temple Metakani Temple Narayani Temple Saptamatruka Temple Sarala Temple Siddha Bhairavi Taratarini Temple Upper Bagh Devi Temple

Sun temples	Biranchinarayan Temple, Buguda Biranchinarayan Temple, Palia

Ganesha temples	Budha Ganesha Temple Mahavinayak Temple Siddha Vinayaka

Other temples	Bhandara Ghara Shrine Hanuman Vatika Harihara Deula Joranda Gadhi

Shakti temples in Odisha
Shiva temples in Odisha
Temples in Bhubaneswar

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