Aradi Akhandalamani Temple- Odisha

Address

Aradi Akhandalamani Temple- Odisha

Aradi,

Odisha 756138

Moolavar

Shiva

Introduction

• Location: The Akhandalamani Temple is located in Aradi village, Odisha, India, about 37 kilometers (23 miles) from Bhadrak. The temple stands on the banks of the river Baitarani and is linked to Chandabali by boat through the river.
• Temple Structure: The current fifty-foot cement and concrete structure replaced a wooden temple between 1830-1840 AD.
• Significance: The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, also known as Baba Akhandalamani.

Puranic Significance:

• Legend of Baba Akhandalamani:
  • The temple’s origins date back around 350 years during the reign of Raja Sri Niladri Samara Singha Mohapatra.
  • One morning, a peasant working in the king’s paddy field on the banks of the Baitarani River found a broken plough and discovered a black glazed granite stone with blood flowing towards the river. The next day, milk replaced the blood, and a black cobra was seen hooding the stone.
  • The king had a dream that night where he was informed about the arrival of Lord Akhandalamani at that spot. Following this, the king began worshipping the deity and constructed a wooden temple.
  • Devotees from various villages started visiting to worship the god, and the king invited five Brahmins from Naharagrama (Jajapur district) to perform the seva-puja (worship and care).
  • The present main temple was constructed by the King of Konika, Shri Harihara Bhanja, and his queen Satyabhama Patadei. The temple stands at 150 feet tall, with stones sourced from the historic Lalitgiri Hill near Chandikhol.

Special Features:

• Main Hall and Surrounding Walls:
  • The main hall was constructed by Sage Shri Narasingha Pratap Kumar.
  • The surrounding walls of the temple were built by Sage Shri Darshan Sekhara Das.
• Government Initiatives: The Bhoga Mandapa and the temple office were constructed through government initiatives.
• Theft Incident: There was an incidence of theft and burglary reported at the temple.

Festivals:

• Mahashivaratri (Jagara Mela): The most important festival celebrated at the temple, where devotees from within and outside the state gather to worship Lord Akhandalamani. This event attracts a large number of pilgrims.

Century/Period

1830-1840 AD.

Managed By

Department of Archaeology (DOA)

Nearest Bus Station

Aradi

Nearest Railway Station

Bhadrak Railway Station

Nearest Airport

Bhubaneswar

Location on Map

lightuptemple