Bhubaneswar, Jan. 13: Chatikana may be a lesser-known destination on Odisha’s tourism map, but it has carved a niche for itself in the southern part of the state for its famous Shiv temple, Lord Pataleswar.

As you get down at Bisam Cuttack railway station, you just have one km to cover to reach this spiritual spot. With a beautiful stream that flows round the year and breathtaking atmosphere courtesy the surrounding hills, Chatikana draws maximum tourists in the month of Kartik (Kartik Purnima day).

The forest department is planning to introduce an eco-development project here in collaboration with the local community. The local residents said a devotee from Maharashtra, Panjidana Chauhan, who came here in 1930 to worship Lord Shiv, first worshiped the shrine and constructed a small temple. Since then, the local people have been worshipping Lord Shiv.

The local administration then stepped in and built a temple during 2002-2003. Now, Panjidana’s son Madhukar Chauhan is the temple’s priest.

Local forest ranger Bikram Dev Patnaik says: “Legend has it that Panjidana discovered the shrine inside a cave on the hills. Till this day, the temple priest goes inside the cave to worship the deity. However, the temple outside is frequented by thousands of people.”

The perennial hill stream and lush green forests provide the perfect ambience for nature lovers and others to spend considerable amount of time far away from the din and bustle of urban life.

The hill is also an abode for canopy dwellers such as Malabar giant squirrel, flying squirrel, rhesus macaque, birds such as gray hornbills, coppersmith barbet, butterflies and reptiles.

“Though the place attracts tourists, there is a need to manage the pollution resulting from the unregulated tourism where visitors throw their garbage in parking spaces. There is also no mechanism to rent out utensils for cooking, required for the incoming tourists in groups,’’ said environmentalist Prasad Dash.

With the assistance of various agencies, six medicinal plant conservation areas (MPCAs) have been set up in Odisha, where the medicinal plants are conserved in-situ. Chatikana reserve forest is the single site from Muniguda block of Rayagada district where 200 species of medicinal plants are conserved. Below the foothills of the MPCA area, there is a medicinal plant garden where around 180 species are conserved. Some of the rare, endangered and threatened plants are also found abundantly in the nearby hills.

Many other attractions of Rayagada district such as Majhighariani temple and Lord Jagannath temple, which are associated with the culture and tradition of the local inhabitants, are 40 km away from Chatikana.

Goddess Majhighariani is famous in southern Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Every year, the Chaitra Parba (festival) in March-April, draws thousands of devotees to the temple. The unique thing about the presiding deity Maa Majhighariani is that only the face is worshipped in the temple.