The Tarini Temple at Ghatagaon in Kendujhar district is a Hindu temple of the goddess Tarini, a Shakta shrine set among sal forest near the Baitarani river. Tribal priests still serve in the temple, according to local accounts, and pilgrims from across Odisha come for the goddess. The Pana Sankranti and Chaiti Jatra, held at the turn from Chaitra to Baisakha, is the best known festival. The temple is built in the Kalinga style.
quick facts
- district
Kendujhar
- best time to visit
The Pana Sankranti and Chaiti Jatra falls over the last five days of Chaitra and the first two of Baisakha, in April. Expect large crowds then.
know before you go
Temple timings reported by one source are 5 am to 9 pm, but they may change, so confirm locally.
do
- Check the festival dates before travelling
- Plan road travel in daylight
- Follow the temple's own instructions on offerings
- Keep valuables secure in crowds
avoid
- Do not litter in the forest around the temple
- Do not travel on festival days without allowing extra time
- Do not rely on one source for distances
how to reach
Sources differ on distances. Keonjhar town is about 45 km away, and Harichandanpur is the nearest convenient railway station at about 17 km. Bhubaneswar airport is the nearest airport, roughly 170 to 180 km away.
Buses run from Bhubaneswar to Keonjhar, and some direct buses are said to run to the temple.
address: Ghatagaon, Kendujhar district, Odisha
history and significance
why it matters
Tarini is among the most widely worshipped goddesses of northern Odisha, and Ghatagaon is her chief shrine. Devotion here is tied to the Bhanja rulers of Kendujhar and to the long Puri connection described in local tradition.
history
The legends and the history of this shrine are woven together, and historians still debate the exact sequence of events, because the accounts come largely from devotional poetry.
According to one tradition, the goddess agreed to follow Gobinda Bhanja, ruler of Kendujhar, from Puri on the condition that he never look back. Near the Baitarani river he could no longer hear the horse following him, and when he turned, the goddess stopped there and asked him to build her temple.
A second tradition links the goddess to the Kanchi campaign, in which Purusottama Deva of Puri made Gobinda Bhanja his commander and the goddess came to Kendujhar as his reward. Dates for the installation differ between sources, from 1480 to about 1603.
what to see
Wikipedia describes the temple as built in the Kalinga style. It stands in a setting of sal forest.
rituals and festivals
The Pana Sankranti and Chaiti Jatra is one of the most popular festivals of the temple, observed during the last five days of Chaitra and the first two days of Baisakha.
The Patua Yatra is also listed for the temple on Wikipedia, without detail.
nearby
- Ghatagaon town and the Baitarani river, close to the temple.
- Keonjhar town, about 45 km away, the district headquarters.
questions visitors ask
What is the legend of Tarini at Ghatagaon?
According to one tradition, the goddess followed Gobinda Bhanja from Puri on the condition that he never look back. When he looked back near the Baitarani river, she stopped and asked for her temple there.
When is the main festival?
The Pana Sankranti and Chaiti Jatra is observed over the last five days of Chaitra and the first two days of Baisakha.
How do I reach the temple?
The nearest convenient railway station is Harichandanpur, about 17 km away, and Keonjhar town is about 45 km away. Bhubaneswar airport is the nearest airport. Sources differ on distances.
