Maa Samleswari Goddes, Sambalpur
Samaleswari
Temple may be a Hindu
temple in Sambalpur, Western Odisha, India, dedicated to the goddess called 'Samaleswari', also known
among the natives as Samalei Maa, meaning Mother Samaleswari. Shree Shree
Samaleswari, the presiding deity of Sambalpur, may be a strong religious force in western a part of Odisha and Chhattisgarh
state of India. On the bank of the river Mahanadi, the mother goddess
Samaleswari is worshipped from earlier
period as Jagatjanani, Adishakti, Mahalaxmi and Mahasaraswati,
and is that the mother
of the universe. After Lord Jagannath, she is that the only Goddess in Odisha who is that the presiding deity of
such an oversized region
including the entire Western
Odisha, parts of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. The region within which the temple is
situated includes a rich
cultural heritage. Sambalpur region is popularly called Hirakhanda from earlier period. Ptolemy has described the place as
Sambalaka, consistent with Tavernir,
the French explorer, and Edward
Gibbon, the English historian,
diamonds were exported to Rome from Sambalpur.
The
temple is of Sandhara order (these forms
of the temples have a square sanctum enclosed by a gallery of
pillars meant for pradakshina). Thus, the Sandhara temples have a
Pradakshinapatha is constructed of a form of stone as durable as
granite, cemented with lime mortar, the full building is plastered, but within the course of your time the surface has
become mouldy. The temple consists of two separate structures. The square
sanctum enshrining the deity is four step below the 10-foot-wide (3.0 m)
covered circumambulation, which is supported by 12 stone pillars. Eleven parswa
devis (side Goddesses), are embedded on the outer wall of the sanctum, in order that the devotees can
worship those deities during parikrama through the vaulted circumambulation.
The idol of Shree Shree Samalei Devi consists of an oversized block of granite rock with an inverted,
trunk-like projection at the
underside. This also symbolises a yoni, and is a noteworthy kings-yoni worship.
A shallow cut on her "Baraha" like face symbolises her mouth.
Traditional Sambalpuri nose ornament of pure gold hangs down from her imaginary
nose. Beaten gold leaves fixed on two disproportionate golden eye-like
depressions on the face act as substitute for her eyes in an effort to define the face of
the mother deity on a mass of self shaped rock, the devi's idol inspires
sublime sentiments of awe, fear, reverence, devotion, love and affection
towards all-pervasive motherhood.
She is worshiped with tutelage and devotion by the natives in her temple, famously referred to as the Samaleswari temple. Among the forms of festivals observed before the goddess throughout the year, three festivals are observed prominently. The primary two are Navaratri pujas during the months of March and April and through the months of September and October (Chaitra Navaratri and Ashwin Navaratri respectively). The goddess is dressed differently on daily representing each of the Navadurgas, this can be called Beeja. Among these two navaratra pujas (nine days continuous worship of the goddess), the other is observed with great splendor and devotion. On the first day of the Navaratri, the goddess is wearing white attire, called Dhabalamukhi. The third festival which is claimed to be the chief festival of the full western Odisha region is Nuakhai. during this festival, the farmers offer the primary produce from their lands to the goddess before using it for his or her personal use.
Festivals
Nuakhai – the harvest
festival, people in general mark
the event with the help of
using presenting the newly harvested rice to the Goddess. The festival is
observed with the help of
using outstanding fanfare and celebration all throughout the region. Lakhs of
devotees throng the temple to see the
blessings of the Goddess. Nuakhai normally falls a day after the Ganesh Puja i.e. within the month of Aug/Sept.
Mahavisuba Sankranti – as per legend Sati Savitri brought back to life her lifeless husband Satyaban with the help of using worshiping Goddess Durga. The festival which falls in Mar/April, is observed with outstanding reverence.
Saradiya Durga Puja –The festival begins off evolved at the day of Mahalaya (the day goddess descends on this planet to slay Mahisasura). Devotees throng the temple to work out the “Dhabalamukhi Besha” of the goddess. the entire 9 days of the Dussehra the goddess adorns numerous incarnations.
How to reach
➧➤ Nearest Railway Station - Sambalpur
➧➤ Nearest Airport - Jharsuguda (62 KM), Raipur
(262 KM), Bhubaneswar (325KM)
➧➤ Distance from Bhubaneswar - 278 KM
➧➤ Road
Transport Sambalpur is well connected by road network with rest of the major
cities of Odisha in particular.
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