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Regular-article-logo Saturday, 19 July 2025

Nine-day puja for Durga avatar in Odisha - Doors of Gajapati district's Dandumaramma temple open for Navratri festival

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SUNIL PATNAIK Published 07.10.13, 12:00 AM

Berhampur, Oct. 6: The doors of the Dandumaramma temple at Parlakhemundi of Gajapati district opened today, marking the first of the nine-day Navratri festival.

The shrine of an avatar (incarnation) of Goddess Durga opens only during this festival and remains closed for rest of the year.

The ritual of opening the doors for nine days started since 2005 and such practice is followed in only this temple in Odisha.

“Prior to 2005, the temple used to remain open between Astami and Dasami, the last three days of Navratri. But, the Puja committee decided to open the temple doors for nine days since 2005,” said president of the temple’s Puja committee K. Ravi.

There is another interesting feature of the Dussehra festival associated with this temple.

Before the doors are closed, a coconut that is kept in an earthen ghatam (pot) after traditional offerings, remain as fresh as ever even after one year.

It is then distributed as prasad among the 60 families residing at Dandumala Street, where the temple is located.

According to legends, the erstwhile rulers of Paralakhemundi used to worship the idol, which was then kept in the Paralakhemundi royal palace some 245 years ago, before going to war.

The idol has been taken to Dandumala Street after the war between Parlakhemundi ruler Jagannath Gajapati Narayan Dev along with Vijayanagar ruler Bijayram Raju against the British Army in 1768.

The Parlakhemundi ruler was defeated in the war. He then ordered residents of Dandumala Street to worship Goddess Dandumaramma, said Dibakar Patnaik, a researcher and writer of several books on the culture and history of Paralakhemundi.

“People say Goddess Dandumaramma used to walk around in the area, and hence, the temple doors were closed throughout the year and opened for three days,” said Dibakar.

Local people believe that the Goddess saves them from diseases, thefts, accidents and other natural disasters at Dandumala Street.

“We offer rice, dal and vegetable curry to Dandumaramma during these nine days. Special fire worship and kumkum puja rituals are also observed,” said chief priest Nageswar.

With the Gajapati district bordering Andhra Pradesh, many from the neighbouring state throng the temple.

After the nine days of worship and rituals, the door is locked at 3am on Dasami morning.

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