The Sarala Temple at Jhankada in Jagatsinghpur district is the shrine of the goddess Sarala, regarded as Adishakti. The eight-armed stone image shows her in the Mahishasuramardini pose with one foot on a lion. The Odisha government counts it among the eight most famous Shakta shrines of the state. The shrine is also linked to Adikavi Sarala Das, the 15th century poet of the Odia Mahabharata, who is said to have received the goddess's blessing.
quick facts
- district
Jagatsinghpur
know before you go
do
- Check local festival dates before travelling
- Allow extra time on the road from Cuttack
- Follow the temple's instructions on offerings
- Stay in Jagatsinghpur or Paradeep if you need hotels
avoid
- Do not rely on one source for distances
- Do not litter around the shrine
- Do not treat the legends as documented history
how to reach
Roads connect the temple with Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack and Paradeep. The Odisha government gives about 55 km from Cuttack, while another guide gives a higher figure by rail, so distances vary. Paradeep is about 15 km away by one source.
Buses run from Bhubaneswar and Cuttack to Jagatsinghpur, and from there a local bus or taxi reaches the temple. Cuttack is the nearest major railway station, with a small halt at Sarala Road near Tentulipada. Bhubaneswar airport is roughly 80 km away.
address: Jhankada, Jagatsinghpur district, Odisha
history and significance
why it matters
Devotees honour Sarala as Adishakti, and the temple is one of the eight major Shakta shrines of Odisha. For readers of Odia literature the place carries extra weight, because tradition links the goddess to the poet Sarala Das, who took his name from her.
history
Official Odisha sources date the temple to the Bhauma kings in the 8th century. Local tradition ties the shrine to the sage Parashurama, who is said to have carved the goddess's image with his arrow.
In the Puranic account, Sarala Das, born Sidheswar Parida, was a farmer and an ardent follower of the goddess, and after her blessing he became the great author of the Odia Mahabharata. This is tradition and not documented history, and the sources checked do not give a firm date for the earliest shrine.
what to see
The main image is carved in stone with eight arms, keeping her right foot on a lion in the Mahishasuramardini posture, according to the Odisha Hindu Endowments page.
nearby
stay, food and parking nearby
The temple trust runs a dharamshala at Kanakpur. The Odisha government suggests Jagatsinghpur or Paradeep for hotel options.
questions visitors ask
Who is Sarala?
Sarala is worshipped as Adishakti. Her main image is eight-armed, in the Mahishasuramardini pose with a foot on a lion.
How is the temple linked to Sarala Das?
In the Puranic account, the farmer Sidheswar Parida received the goddess's blessing and became Sarala Das, author of the Odia Mahabharata. This is tradition.
How do I get there?
Take a bus from Bhubaneswar or Cuttack to Jagatsinghpur, then a local bus or taxi. Cuttack is the nearest major railway station.
