Maa Charchika Temple is one of the 12 Shakti peethas in Odisha. The Goddess Charchika is worshipped here, is an eight armed, also known as goddess Chamunda. Her general posture is that of a human body wearing a garland of human skulls which displays khadga, shula, katari and varadamudra in her four right hands whereas severed head, blood-cup, and damru and leaving a finger of the remaining hand soaked in blood on the left hands which describes her violent nature over the demons.
History:
The temple was built in the 9th or 10th century and it is believed that the idol of Maa Charchika was designed by Parshuram himself. On an evening, while he was in river Mahanadi he saw a stone was falling and lifting continuously when he approached the stone he found women face on it and after that he took the stone and kept it with him and established it at a place and worshipped. After that Maa Charchika came in Parsuram’s dreams and asked him to build a temple for her. Inside the temple there are sculptures of various animals such as Lion, Peacock, Elephant, Ducks, etc.
Architecture:
The temple is not very high on architecture. Built in very simple Kalingan style of architecture. The temple has adapted with three small ends. Dome of the temple is made up of moldings, layers of bricks and other materials and is made in a semicircular shape with Brass Kalash kept on it.
Festivals:
The famous festivals celebrated there are Durga Puja and Kali Puja.
Temple timings: 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM
How to Reach:
Road- Cuttack is well connected with other major cities via regular busses.
Rail- The nearest railway station is Cuttack Railway station about 48kms.
Air- The nearest airport is Biju Patnaik International Airport (61kms).
COVER PHOTO CREDIT: PURE ODISHA
