Ghanteshwari in Sambalpur District of Odisha

Goddess Ghanteshwari

Orissa is replete with natural treasures and religious shrines with rare and distinctive features. The Ghanteshwari temple in Sambalpur district is one of them. Ghanteshwari, the goddess of bells, is the presiding deity of the temple. The Oriya word ‘ghanti’ means bell, and hence the name. Situated in a naturally opulent atmosphere adjacent to the Chiplima hydroelectric power plant, the temple is visited by tourists throughout the year. The most spectacular sight of Ghanteshwari is the numerous bells, of sizes ranging from the tiniest to the biggest. They are seen knotted everywhere in this spot. Before construction of the famous Hirakud dam, the spot served as an alarm zone for the sailors. Besides being a place of devotion and tourist attraction, it is also an ideal picnic spot. A report by Himanshu Guru.

Walk-able Iron bridge to reach Ghanteshwari

Backdrop

Ghanteshwari is located on the banks of the Mahanadi and is the meeting point of the three streams of the river. Here the water current is fast enough to form a whirlpool. Resultantly, it was a risky zone for the boatmen and sailors in the early days. People say a number of boats drowned in this particular spot in the river. Again, during those days roadway connectivity was not very good and the water route served as a prime route for communication. It is said even traders from Madhya Pradesh travelled through this route to sell their stuff in Sambalpur and would often travel right up to Cuttack. However, to deal with the situation huge bells were fixed. As this place witnessed high wind speed, the bells rang loudly, thereby giving out an alarm to the sailors. Thus the spot was known as the ‘lighthouse without light’. The goddess was also established soon after. Yet, after construction of the famous Hirakud dam, the water stream lost speed and it was no more a risky water zone. In the following years, the roadway developed a lot and the earlier usage of bells became a legend.

Bells in Ghanteshwari

Description

The shrine of Ghanteshwari is not a big edifice but the surroundings are very beautiful. The main attraction of the spot is the bells that people tie up to make their wishes come true. As the place is on the banks of the Mahanadi one can witness a picturesque landscape, immense greenery and lush water bodies. The Chiplima hydroelectric project adjacent to the spot is also worth a watch. The only way to reach the shrine is via the walk-able iron bridge and taking a stroll on this man-made bridge is an experience by itself. After moving through the bridge you need to get down a number of steps to reach the deity. One can witness slivery fishes swimming in the river – a sight to behold.

View of river Mahanadi from Ghanteshwari

How to reach

Ghanteshwari is situated 33 km southwest of Sambalpur.

When coming from Sambalpur you need to take a left turn at Goshala chowk and travel 15 km to reach Chiplima, the nearest village. The place is merely at a distance of 2 km from Chiplima. The road from Goshala chowk to Ghanteshwari is not very smooth but manageable. The place is accessible throughout the year but visitors should avoid the monsoon season. The nearest railhead to Ghanteshwari is the Hirakud station and Sambalpur junction. Most visitors hire a cab from Sambalpur. Also, ferry buses run from Sambalpur to Chiplima, but tourists usually avoid ferry buses as they again need to travel 2 km to reach the spot.

Facilities

As facilities are scant it is wise to stay in Sambalpur. Also, there are no eateries nearby. Of course, there are small markets nearby the shrine from where you can buy flowers and sweets for worship. Tourists usually make their own arrangements for food, vehicles and night stay.

Touristspeak

Alok Ranjan Guru, lawyer, Sambalpur

Once my grandfather told me what he had learnt from the old and the learned. He said, “As we all are sailors of our own voyage, sailing without any compass, sometimes without any aim of direction, many times get entangled and lose hope. The divine grace of goddess Ghanteswari comes like a north star raising hope; the goddess is so kind that the mere act of tying a bell with utmost devotion and submissive request brings Her grace. Highly revered by the local populace, the goddess of bells has protected the sailors every time against bad weather and guided them with proper directions. Situated on the banks of the Mahanadi, bounded by mountains, cascading waters and forests, the temple of goddess Ghanteswari serves as an excellent destination for pilgrims as well as tourists. Thirty-five km off Sambalpur, this place with innumerable bells, is a perfect spot for those seeking divine grace as well as recreation.

Shiba Prasad Sahu, lyricist, Balangir

As I am a part of the Sambalpuri entertainment industry, I visit Ghanteshwari to worship a script, otherwise assumed as the ‘mahurat’ of an album. We flock to the shrine to seek the blessings of the goddess for an upcoming project.

Surendra Nayak, teacher, Jharigaon

I have visited the shrine on several occasions. Once we visited the spot for a picnic. The temple is an excellent place to sit for a while and to meditate on the idea of divinity since it is a calm and quiet place far away from the hustle-bustle of city life. It is place enveloped in natural beauty and splendour.

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.