Lately, I have developed a special liking to visit those places which are not the most well known tourist destinations and those which are still away from commercialization, yet hold a deep significance in the minds of the local people of that region. Recently, I visited a temple on the bank of river Mahanadi in a small town called Banki. This temple is called the Churchika Temple. Not many outside Orissa know the existence of this temple, yet in the minds of the local people where this temple is situated, this temple has shaped the myths and legends. No one knows how old the temple is, yet legends say that The Goddess Churchika (the same power clan as that of Goddess Kali) still appears in personified form during the rituals.
Who will believe that such exquisite wooden architecture and paintings can be found inside one of the most obscure temples of the land?
Such architecture reminds me of the Oriental architecture (mostly Japanese and Korean).
River Mahanadi in a serene mood and a distant hill - the view from the Temple. This river is the trademark of Orissa.
7 comments:
This place seems interesting.. I myself being from orissa never knew about this temple.. Its true that tourism in Orissa is not quite developed, once commercialised its goin to fetch our state quite a big chunk of revenue... but again, this place is probably goin to lose its charm & serenity once commercialised...
Anon....nice to hear from you...would have liked better had i known you by your identity..
Hi Sabyasachi.. This is Shriya... forgot to give my name in the previous comment.. have been following your blogs since long... Must say that you are an awesome writer... Which other historical places in Orissa have you seen.. I feel embarrassed at times for not seeing most of the places in my state... I saw Konark only last year & was awestruck by its beauty.. Its truly an architectural marvel..
U r right Shriya...if commercialisation occurs, the real charm of such places might deteriorate...
btw...looks like you donot stay in Orissa...right??
I stayed in orissa during my early years but never got a chance for sightseeing then.. but I have always loved to go back to my state & explore new places... planning for a trip to Orissa soon.. Can you suggest some places like the one you hav mentioned in your blog...
Regards,
Shriya
Sriya..there are lots and lots of such places..do let me know the cities/towns you are planning to visit...based on that i can try to suggest some places...
you can write to sabyasachimohanty@gmail.com
regards
Sabya
This temple in my opinion could also be related to Churchika Devi in Mathura.The name Churchika in Mathura according to local legend there is due to Jesus (Isu Maharaj visiting India during his later life and asking for her blessing to propogate his message.Likewise there Churchika Devi is facing across the Yamuna River towards Krishna Janmabummi temple or Banke Bihari.
Interestly enough there is another Churchika Devi in Varanasi...and allso I think at the Southern tip Of India...similar to the concept of Char Dhams in India
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