The History and Legend of Panchubarahi Temple
Panchubarahi Temple is believed to be over 400 years old and was originally situated in Satabhaya village, which was a coastal hamlet near the Bhitarkanika National Park. The temple was built by the Chauhan kings of Sambalpur, who were devotees of Goddess Panchubarahi. The temple was named after the five forms of the goddess, namely, Barahi, Kalika, Vasuli, Vanadurga and Sarala.
According to legend, the temple was once visited by a Brahmin priest, who saw the deities unclothed and was cursed to become a stone. Since then, only women from the Sabar caste were allowed to perform the rituals and touch the idols. The Sabars are descendants of Jara Sabar, who accidentally killed Lord Krishna with his arrow and later became his devotee.
The temple was also a witness to the history of Odisha. It survived the invasions of the Mughals, the Marathas and the British. It also saw the rebellion of Lachman Singh Bhairi, a freedom fighter who hid his weapons and ammunition inside the temple premises and prayed to the goddess for his victory.
The temple was relocated from Satabhaya to Bagapatia in April 2018, due to the threat of sea erosion and cyclones. The idols were shifted with great care and reverence by the priestesses and their families. The new temple was built with the help of the government and private donors.
The architecture and rituals of Panchubarahi Temple
Panchubarahi Temple is a stone structure built in the Panchayatana style of architecture. It has a square sanctum sanctorum with four smaller shrines at the corners. The main shrine houses the idols of Goddess Panchubarahi, made of black granite and adorned with jewelry and flowers. The idols depict the goddesses with four arms holding various weapons and symbols.
The temple is surrounded by a high wall with four gateways facing the four cardinal directions. The eastern gateway is the main entrance to the temple complex. The gateways are decorated with carvings of various Hindu motifs like lotuses, elephants, lions, etc.
The temple is visited by devotees throughout the year, especially during festivals like Nuakhai (the harvest festival), Navratri (the nine nights of worship), and Dussehra (the victory of good over evil). The devotees offer prayers, flowers, fruits, sweets, and lamps to the goddesses. They also perform various rituals like bathing the idols with water, milk, honey, and turmeric; offering animal sacrifices; singing hymns and songs; dancing and playing musical instruments; etc.
The priestesses perform the daily rituals on a rotational basis for 15 days each. They are selected from four families who have been assigned to look after the temple by the former kings. They are not paid for their vocation and do not wear any specific attire. They are also not expected to recite hymns in Sanskrit or follow complex rituals. They just seek the blessings of their deities for themselves and their devotees.
Panchubarahi Temple is a temple where only the Sabar Caste women can touch the deities. It is a place where one can witness the empowerment and dignity of women from a marginalized community.
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