The Bhagabati Temple stands in the Bhagabati Sahi of Banapur town in Khordha district, a well-known Shakti shrine of Odisha. The presiding goddess is an eight-armed form of Durga, shown with the severed head of the demon Mahisasura, and locally called Bhagabati. Banapur was once a capital of the Sailodbhava dynasty. Durga Puja is the main festival of the temple. The town lies a few kilometres from Chilika but the temple itself is not on the lake shore.
quick facts
- district
Khordha
- best time to visit
Durga Puja, the main festival of the temple, is the busiest period.
- dress code
Ethnic or traditional dress is customary.
know before you go
do
- Check the Durga Puja dates before planning a festival visit
- Follow the guidance of the temple servitors
- Keep the temple premises clean
- Plan for large crowds on festival days
avoid
- Do not litter in the temple area
- Do not disturb worshippers during rituals
- Do not touch the image or the sanctum without permission
how to reach
The temple is in Banapur town, a few kilometres from the Bhubaneswar to Berhampur highway (NH 16, earlier numbered NH 5). Road access is the usual route.
address: Bhagabati Sahi, Banapur, Khordha district, Odisha
history and significance
why it matters
The temple is counted among the well-known Shakti shrines of Odisha. The goddess is worshipped as Durga under the local name Bhagabati.
Banapur was once the capital of the Sailodbhava dynasty, linked with the early group of temples at Bhubaneswar.
history
Sources differ on the age of the temple. One account says it was built in the ninth century CE. The Odisha Hindu endowments page says the present temple and jagamohana are believed to have been built by the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri. A heritage record of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts dates the present structure to the Gajapati period, in the 19th century. These may describe different phases of the building, and the sources do not reconcile them.
Banapur is known as the early capital of the Sailodbhava dynasty, and many Buddhist images have been found in the town. According to tradition, Lord Jagannath was once housed in the Bankada fort at Banapur for a long period, but no source consulted ties this directly to the Bhagabati temple.
what to see
The image shows an eight-armed goddess and the chopped head of Mahisasura. The sources consulted give no further architectural detail.
rituals and festivals
- Durga Puja, the main festival of the temple
nearby
- Chilika lake, a short distance from the town
- Kalijai Temple on its island in Chilika
other temples nearby1
questions visitors ask
Who is the goddess at Banapur?
The presiding goddess is an eight-armed form of Durga, locally called Bhagabati, shown with the severed head of Mahisasura.
Is the temple on the Chilika shore?
No. Banapur is near Chilika but the temple is in the town. The Kalijai Temple is the shrine on an island in the lake.
When is the main festival?
Durga Puja is the main festival of the temple.