Kapalamochana Temple is a small Shiva shrine on Manikarnika Road, to the left of Gundicha Chowk and about a hundred metres from the southern gate of the Jagannatha Temple in Puri. Its name means the one from whose hand the skull fell. The linga sits in a circular yonipitha well below the level of the street, beside the sacred Manikarnika pool. It is counted among the five Shiva shrines of Puri known as the Pancha Pandava, and devotees come to pray for freedom from sin.
quick facts
- district
Puri
- best time to visit
Maha Shivaratri is the main festival. Sital Sasthi and Dola Purnima are other marked occasions.
- dress code
Ethnic or traditional dress is customary.
know before you go
do
- Remove footwear before entering the temple compound
- Keep your voice low inside the shrine
- Follow the guidance of the temple servitors
- Make room for devotees who are praying
avoid
- Do not climb on the structures or touch the carvings
- Do not litter the compound or the tank
- Do not block the doorways while others wait to worship
how to reach
The temple is on Manikarnika Road, to the left of Gundicha Chowk, about 100 metres from the southern gate of the Jagannatha Temple in Puri town. It is reached by road, and Puri railway station is the nearest station.
address: Manikarnika Road, near the southern gate of the Jagannatha Temple, Puri, Odisha
history and significance
why it matters
Kapalamochana is one of the five Pancha Pandava Shiva shrines of Puri, together with Lokanatha, Yameswar, Markandeswar and Nilakantheswar. Devotees believe that worship here helps atone for the sin of killing a Brahmin, the brahmahatya of the legend.
The goddess Ardhasini is described alongside Kapalamochana as a guardian of Puri, and the temple takes part in the Chandana Yatra and Sital Sasthi rituals of Jagannatha.
history
According to tradition, Shiva cut off one of the five heads of Brahma, and the skull, the kapala, stayed attached to his hand as a mark of the sin of killing a Brahmin. He wandered in search of release until he reached Puri, where the skull fell from his hand. The shrine is named for this moment, kapala for skull and mochana for release. The pool beside it, Manikarnika, is linked in tradition to a jewel or an earring that fell here.
Dating is uncertain. One temple listing assigns the shrine to the 10th century under the Somavamsi rulers. In the Orissa Review, Jagabandhu Padhi is cited as saying that Kapalamochana and Nilakantheswar belong to one period, but that neither shows Somavamsi architectural characteristics. The sources consulted give no inscription or firm date, so the 10th century should be treated as an unverified claim.
what to see
The temple is relatively small and built in the Kalinga style. The linga stands in a circular yonipitha several metres below the street, and one listing gives the depth as 6.6 metres. The jagamohana holds an image of the ten-armed goddess Shyamakali, and the walls carry sculptures including Ganesha and Narasimha. A small natamandapa with octagonal pillars and minor shrines stand in the complex, and the sacred Manikarnika pool lies within the precinct.
rituals and festivals
Maha Shivaratri is the main festival. Sital Sasthi includes rituals for the wedding of Shiva and Parvati, with processions of the deities through the city. Dola Purnima and Rudra abhisheka ceremonies are also observed, and the temple takes part in the Chandana Yatra of Jagannatha.
nearby
- Jagannatha Temple, about 100 metres from the southern gate
- Manikarnika pool, within the temple precinct
other temples nearby5
questions visitors ask
What does Kapalamochana mean?
Kapala means skull and mochana means release. According to tradition, Brahma's skull that clung to Shiva's hand fell away when he reached Puri.
Where is the temple in relation to the Jagannatha Temple?
It is on Manikarnika Road, to the left of Gundicha Chowk, about 100 metres from the southern gate of the Jagannatha Temple.
Is the linga below street level?
Yes. The linga stands in a circular yonipitha several metres below the street. Sources give different depths, and one listing says 6.6 metres.