Goddess Harachandi or Baliharchandi temple is facing towards Bay of Bengal. The bigrah of goddess is Asta Bhuja (Eight Armed) Mahisamardini Durga revered as Baliharachandi. The temple is located in a serene place in Brahmagiri of Puri district, which is surrounded by green dense forest of Casuarina tress.
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION:
Not only the bushes and beautiful green dense forest shows beauty of temple, but also the height of temple is around 30 fit facing towards east and the Bhargavi River flows just a few distance away from the temple. Temple of Goddess Harchandi is located at the confluence point of Bhargavi River with the Sea. Moreover, the waves are created around 3 kilometers from the temple in Bay of Bengal. “Marala Malini Nilambhu Chilika” is situated in the south direction around 15 kilometers on the seashore.
TEMPLE ARCHITECT
Maa Harachandi temple is 75 feet and the Jagamohan temple is 30 feet. A type of bhandara ghara attached to the north side of the Jagamohan. There is also a Lord shiva temple situated, where Lord Chandeswar is worshipped. In spite of no presence of boundary in Sakti pitha there is a dome shaped building present. There are also different rooms present for sacred oblations, Kitchen and Guest room inside the temple. Due to the presence of dense shrubs and Casuarina tress the Bhargavi River and the sea almost invisible from the temple.
The temple of Harachandi is erected over a sandy ridge of 80 feet high from the ground level. The temple is made up of Baulamalia Stone and kunda stone. To protect the walls of the temple saline air, the walls are painted with lime. Small Gaja Simha motif and artists motif adds beauty to the temple. The three goddess (Karali, Barahi and Bhairavi) statues are made up of black chlorite. There is statue present which shows that the lion sitting above an element in Jagamohan. At the entrance while we go up the stairs there are two huge statues of lion installed on the both side of main entrance like Simha Dwar. All of these things are significant of Utkala’s culture. However, the worshipped goddess is the most attractive in the temple.
Maa Baliharchandi Temple 
Maa Baliharchandi Temple
MAA BALICHARCHANDI
The statue of Goddess Harachandi is around 4 feet. The asta-bhuja statue of goddess is made up of stones. There is a statue which shows Devi killing Mahisasura that’s why Goddess revered as Mahisamardini Durga. Goddess’s one leg is back of lion and another leg is firmly set on the petal of lotus pedestal. This statue is craved in the attitude of striding over demon Mahisasura who is shown in human body and buffalo head. Devi holds shield, bow, naga phasa and head of demon in left four hands and in the right hand possess trident, ratnamala, khadga and arrow respectively.
Nobody knows how old the temple is. However, it is written in the famous sashtra of Harachandi.
LEGEND ON GODDESS
According to a legend many traders pass through this temple through sea. Sometimes they rest under the moraceae tree and visit the Goddess who is present there. Once while resting a pretty girl asked for a Brahmapuri Paata Saree to a trader. After taking the saree she told by the trader that Odisha’s Gajapati Ramachandra will give the amount of saree. As the trader was going to puri so he accepted her wordings. When the king knew about this incident he was surprised. He saw a dream that he paid the amount and built a temple of sikataa dome shaped building.
There is also a legend related to the Lord Chandeswar temple which is near the Harachandi temple. There was a merchants boat was buried in the sea sand. For shake of his life he remembered the Goddess and was saved. According to mythology he was pleased by this act of Goddess and henceforth, built a Lord Shiva temple there.
TEMPLE PRASHADAM
Every day the goddess is fed with dry Prasad. After bathing of Goddess she is fed with bhalava Prasad which consists of coconut, ripe fruits, chivda, mamra. Every day the goddess is fed with Arna bhog two times. In addition to both the Prasads mustard fish curry is must. For mustard fish curry fish is brought by a fisher man in Chilika.
It is not compulsory that only the fisher man will bring only fish. Actually the duty to bring fish is of two fisher man of village named Arkhakuda and Mota. These two persons bring fishes to the temple on every day basis.
During afternoon puja time Goddess Harachandi is fed with Arua Arna, Mustard fish curry, payas and dal. At evening Goddess Harachandi is given Kakra Pitha (Deep friend semolina balls). Night time again she is fed with Arua Arna and Mustard fish curry.
The food which is given to the Goddess is cooked in the kitchen of the temple. Before pahuda Prasad from puri Jagannath temple is brought for the Goddess. The sarapuli mahaprasad and garland which is offered to Lord Jagannath is also offered to the Goddess Harachandi at night.
Fish Prashadam 
Preparing Prashad 
Offering Prasad to Maa Baliharchandi
RITUALS
In Durga puja many independent rituals are practiced. This puja puja is done in the month of Asvina. An efficient Priest comes for the chandi patha during Durga puja. On the eighth day of Durga puja a goat is staked. The Goddess is worshipped on the tenth day of Durga puja.
The way the fisherman of west side of Chilika Lake worship Goddess Kalijai, the same way the fisherman in the east side worship Goddess Harachandi. Maa Baliharchandi or Maa Harachandi revered as goddess of water who bless boatmen to navigate there boat during fishing inside deep ocean. Mother Goddess also protects them when they confronted with any unexpected danger in the ocean.
HOW TO REACH:
The temple is about 30 kilometers to the south east of Jagannath Puri (Nearest Railway Station) and around 90kms from Bhubaneswar (Nearest Airport). Temple is on the way to Satpada (Chilka Lake) and just before Brahmagiri. After travelling 24 kilometers Kathhua Barad or palanka chowk arrived, which is also known as Harachandi chowk. Left hand side there is a path to wheat and ground nuts field towards east through narrow sandy road. After travelling 6 kilometers in this path we can find a long heighted temple.
