Nrusinghanath in Odisha: Abode of the divine cat

Nrusinghanath idol

The Nrusinghnath temple in Bargarh district of Odisha (India) stands amidst the verdant beauty of the picturesque Gandhamardan hills. Coupled with a series of beautiful waterfalls and eye-catching sculptures, its location offers an air of serenity and visual delight. Lord Vishnu is worshipped in the incarnation of a cat in this popular and attractive temple that beckons pilgrims and devotees from far and near. The place was a centre of Buddhist scriptural learning as well according to Huen Tsang, the historic Chinese traveler. A report by Himanshu Guru.

Background & Legend

Some 600 years ago, a tribal woman from the Kandha caste named Jamuna, (as referred to in the book Nrusingha Charitra) composed an epic that sang the glories of Marjara Keshari who played a stellar role in overthrowing the reign of suppression, tyranny and torture of Musika Daitya (both mythological characters).

According to the legend, at a time when people were greatly afflicted by Musika Daitya (the incarnate Mouse Demon), Lord Vishnu in the incarnation of a cat (Marjara Keshari) entered the scene to put an end to the demon’s excesses. He gave the demon mouse, Musika Daitya, a hard chase and the demon took refuge in the place. While the cat could not enter the mouse hole, the mouse never came out of the tunnel. Since that time, the God has been guarding the mouse-hole at the foothills of the Gandhamardan. He is worshipped as Nrusinghanath in this temple. 

The story symbolizes the holing up, as it were, of the demonic evil power of tyranny and torture, that never dares to come out into the open, as Lord Nrusinghanath, alias Marjara Keshari, has been guarding it ever since. It is also a strange that not a single crow can be spotted near the temple.

Location

The temple of Lord Nrusinghanath is situated at Durgapali in Paikmal block under the Padampur sub-division in Bargarh district. The place is 400 km away from Bhubaneswar, 160 km from Sambalpur; 110 km from Bargarh district headquarter, 115 km from Bolangir and 150 km from Raipur in Chhattisgarh. Khariar Road and Bargarh Railway Stations are the nearest railheads. 

In and Around 

At Nrusinghanath one can visit Chal Dhar, a stream which lies at a distance of 400 meters from the temple, Bhima Dhar, another stream (425 meters from the temple), Sita Kunda, a natural reservoir (500 meters from the temple), Panchupandava, a place of mythological interest (1.5km from the temple), Kapil Dhar and Supta Dhar, other streams located nearby, and Bhima Madua (11km from the temple).

As per historical evidence, Baijal Singh Dev, king of Patnagarh, laid the foundation of this historic temple in 1313 AD. The temple is 45 feet high and divided into two parts. While the first is the throne of the deity the second is allotted to Jagamohana. It is a chamber with three gates and supported by four pillars. The temple displays the Odiya style of architecture. 

Asthabhuja Ganesh

A statue of Lord Ganesha with eight hands is found near the entrance of the temple. It is a unique piece of sculpture. The Asthabhuja statue is carved on a large slab of stone and is a rare sculptural specimen. 

Festivals

A massive fair is held every year on the 14th day of the bright fortnight in the month of Vaisakha here. Visitors and devotees from the adjacent districts as well as those from Chhattisgarh flock in to witness the great ‘Baisakha Mela’.

In the small market near the temple rare medicinal herbs and roots are available. The Gandhamardan hill has precious herbs that are not available anywhere else. Also, trekking at Narsinghanath can be immensely exciting. People trek up to Harishankar traversing the seven hills during Baisakha Mela.

The beautiful garden that attracts tourists has statues of Lord Krishna in His different avatars and a 28 ft Hanuman statue. There are many guesthouses here like the Mandir Guesthouse, Vindhyavasini Guesthouse, Dharmasala and the Panthanivash of the tourism department – all near the temple. So, tourists can plan to stay over for a night or two if they want. But there are not only good eateries around, and if you are on the lookout for quality cuisine you would be disappointed.

Pramod Rath

Pramod Rath

I have visited Nrusinghanath several times. It is a calm and quiet place and the picturesque location beckons tourists. The tourism department should create more facilities for visitors. The temple is a religious shrine of great importance as rituals performed to wash off sins like the killing of cows and cats are performed here unlike in many other temples in the state.

Swaroop Rath

Swaroop Rath

The thread ceremony of my son was held at Nrusinghanath. I am happy that my son got the blessings of the Lord at this sacred shrine. This is a place loaded with mythological significance. We really enjoyed our two-day stay as the ambience is simply divine. The experience of taking a bath in the Chal Dhar was thrilling. 

Sujata Sadangi

Sujata Sadangi

The idol of Lord Nrusinghanath went missing a few years back. It was later found at Sambalpur railway station. A person was accosted by the police carrying the idol in a jute bag. Surprisingly, he found it extremely difficult to carry the bag, though it was light. The stolen idol was found in the bag.