Orissa Review September - 2009

Shaktism in Odisha
Dr. G. S. Tripathy

In Odisha there are Shakta shrines of which the Saktism established itself as a separate
shrines of Dakhina Kali at Jalasara Khandi, cult in the early part of Orissa History with the
Taratarini at Purnagiri over Rushikulya, emergence of famous Brahmin and non-Brahmins
Ramachandi at Jhadeswar in the foot of the worshippers of Devi Bhavani with Gurumantra.
Krishna Giri Hills, Mangala at Kakatpur, After some time it merged in Saivism so much so
Sambaleswari at Sambalpur, Charchika at Banki, that its separate entity is hardly discernible.
Ramachandi at Konark, Sarala at Jhankada, Tarini As is evidenced from the Mahabharata,
near Anandapur, Siddha Bhairavi at Mantridi near the Harivansha and Vayu Purana the Sakta
Berhampur, Viraja at Jajpur, Chamunda on Vindu Shrine of Viraja existed at Jajpur in the pre-
Sarovar at Bhubaneswar, Bhuasuni near Christian era. In the then Kalinga on the river
Sisupalagarh, Chamunda at Khiching in Vaitarani, Viraja Tritha was situated as it is stated
Mayurbhanj, group of Saptamatruka at in the Vana parva of the Mahabharata. Sakta
Parsurameswar, Sree Jayadurga at Bilaspur, a Pitha of Viraja at Jajpur is a very ancient shrine.
Brahmin Seasan in the southern part of Ganjam The Sakta Shrine of Viraja seems to have
District near Samapa, the capital of the then been dominated by Budhism before the Ganga
Kalinga along with a Jantramurti in the same period in Odisha. Guhasiva of the Dathavanasa
village, Manikeswari at Bhawanipatna, tradition was probably the ruler of Kalinga in the
Dwarbasini over Bindusagar at Bhubaneswar, pre-Gupta period, who was a staunch follower
with Devipadahara tank nearby, having about a of Buddhim and his predecessors were also
large number of small temples, Narayani near Buddhists. When there was a revival of
Barakula, Singhasani near Panchabhuti, Bhagabati Brahminical Hinduism in Odisha, there was
at Banapur, Ugratara in Bhusandapur, Bimala in therefore the necessity of reforming the Sakta
the precincts of Sri Jagannath temple, Cuttack Shrine during the Gupta period. The great
Chandi at Cuttack along with Gadachandi, Brahminical shrine sprang up with the well known
Mahurikalia near Berhampur Ganjam, tradition that Gayasura was killed by Vishnu and
Khambeswari in Aska, Byaghradevi in Kulad that the head of the dead body fell at Gaya and
Bhattarika at Badamba, charchikai at Banki, the navel portion at Viraja. The shrine seems to
Bhadrakali at Bhadrak, Viraja at Jajpur, Shayama have been reconverted into a pure Brahminical
Kali at Hinjili, Bhairavi at Chikiti, Kusangai at shrine with Viraja as its presiding deity.
Kusang and Budhi Thakurani at Berhampur, sixty Viraja Mahatmya which forms a part of
four yogini at Hirapur and Ranipur Jharial attract Skanda Purana describes that there was a great
our attention. Brahminical sacrifice at Jajpur performed by

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Brahma and Viraja was born from the sacrificial vicinity of the tank Vindu-Sarorara. She is known
pit as per the tradition already recorded. A two as Kapalani and is of dreadful and terrific form.
handed Mahishamardini is the image of Viraja In this context, the shrine of Vetals, is referred to.
which is now worshipped in the temple. The adorable deity of worship of the Kapalikas
Buddhism during Bhauma period was a was this terrific Kapalini with dreadful eyes.
mixed form of religion in which Buddhism, Generally t hese Kapalikas were Shiva
Saktism, Saivism and Trantrism had become worshippers but very often the deity of their
strangely amalgamated and therefore the Sakta worship was a Chamunda, Malati Madhab
shrine at Viraja might have been influenced by drama of Bhavabhuti provides us an information
the mixed religion followed by the Bhaumas who that a Kapalika wanted to sacrifice Malati to
were the rulers of Tasala with their capital at Viraja. Chamunda who had been brought for that
At Jajpur there are several Sakta images, purpose only. There was a faith that Kali praises
particularly of Chamunda which were worshipped Kapalika who is ever collecting human skulls for
by Saktas, Saivas, Buddhists and Tantrikas. Her garland. In Dasakumara Charita, the story
of Kanakalekha also gives an example of this
There are number of Sakta Temples in nature. These are the proofs that the Kapalikas
the great Saiva centre of Bhubaneswar which use to sacrifice human beings to goddess Chandi
shows an amalgamation of Saivism and Tantrika to attain Siddhis.
Buddhism.
From a study of Vaital Temple, the form
These temples were mostly built during of Saktism that we find is not an independent one.
Bhauma period. The most ancient Sakta shrine It was certainly allied itself with Saivism and
of Bhubaneswar is the temple of Vaital. Its Buddhist-tantrism. The Vaital temple not only
sculptures prove clearly that the strange esoteric bears the Sakta images but also Saiva and
rites were being performed inside the temple by Buddhist-tantric deities as it has been seen. The
the so called Tantrikas. Four Sakta Shrines mixed form of religion was an extreme sect of
sprang up on the four sides of Vindu Sarovar Saktism, Saivism and Tantrism that was followed
during the Bhauma period. They are now known by Kapalikas. Some revolting practices such as
as Vaital, Mohini, Utteraswar temples. On the east wearing of skulls, sacrificing human beings, eating
of the tank, the names of the Sakta shrine which food and drinking water in human skull-ups and
still exists, has been lost. Either the images of keeping alight sacrificial fire with the brain and
Chamunda or Mahisamardini is found inside the lungs of men were indulged by the Kapalikas in
shrine of which Vaital is the most prominent. It is transe conditions.
told that human sacrifices were being performed
in this Vaital temple with the strange esoteric rites Bhuasuni, in the vicinity of Sisupalagarh
in the dead hour of night. The study of the and the presiding deity at Khiching in
architecture and sculpture of this shrine gives us Mayurabhanja have the same characteristics and
an indication to this effect and nature. are depicted in terrific forms with sunken bellies
and emaciated sinewy bodies garlanded with
From the word Vetal, the name Vaital skulls, seated on corpses with jakals by their
has been derived. Vetal indicates a spirit. sides. Another form of Saktism is the worship of
Kapalikas and the Tantrikas wanted to attain Saptamatrukas which can be traced back to the
Siddhis with the help of this so called Vetal. 6th / 7th century A.D. or may be earlier also. In
Svarnadri Mahodaya gives a description that the the Parsurameswar, Vaital and Muketeswar
venerable goddess Chamunda garlanded with Temples at Bhubaneswar, the Groups of
human skulls exists on a spot on the west, in the Saptamatrukas are to be found.

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At Jajpur two groups of these deities are Puram now in Andhrapradesh to Bilaspur in the
to be found being worshipped at different district of Ganjam in Odisha. Devi Jantra is now
locations. On the bank of Markendeswar tank at in the same village in another household,
Puri, the Sapta Matrukas are found. All these worshipped by Bhakta Tantrik the late Baidhar
groups contain the images of Ganesh and Tripathy in early 18th Century A.D. It is said that
Virabhadra besides containing the images of she was in the talking terms with Bhakta Siromani
Varahi, Indrani, Vaishnavi, Kaumari, Sivani, Baidhar Tripathy who did miracles.
Brahmi and Chamunda. The babies are not found Bhagabati at Banapur and Ugratara at
in the arms of earlier Matrukas but in the arm of Bhusandapur are very famous through the
later Matrukas babies are invariably found. In worship of Bhakatas even now along with Tarini
Odisha and in the then Kalinga the worship of at Ghatgaon, Dhakhina Kali at Jalasarkhandi, and
Matrukas formed an essential part of Saktism Maa Mangala at Kakatpur.
and it had been widespread throughout.
The connection of Goddess Mangala of
Out of the group, some times Chamunda Kakatpur with Sri Jagannath shrine during
and Varahi were selected and worshipped as Rathajatra is well-known through out the world.
single deities. In the Prachi Valley of Puri district, No Rathajatra would be conducted unless
a Varahi temple still exists at Chaursi. It is not Bhaktas of Jagannath get Swapnadesh from the
unlikely that similar rites were followed here also. Devi Mangala at Kakatpur.
In the Balasore district another Varahi During Ganga period in Odisha in
shrine is to be found at Narendrapur near Gadi. between 12th-14th centuryA.D. worship of Sakti
In a thatched house the presiding deity was being images were not been patronized by the Ganga
worshipped previously, now being enshrined in a kings. Chodaganga Dev banished all goddesses
temple. In the Raja Bagicha of the Nilagiri town from Odisha as per the traditions recorded in
in the same district a single image of Varahi was Madalapanji. In Madhyaparba of
lying and it seems originally to have belonged to a Mahabharata another tradition recorded by
shrine. In Odisha, the Varahi worship was wide- Sarala Das points out to the fact that the king
spread. It was believed by the people that to ward was responsible for the removal of Ramachandi
off all the epidemics it was necessary to propitiate from her original shrine at Konark to the sea shore
her as she was to be the cause of all epidemies. at Liakhia Muhana. Excepting a few like Viraja
Taratarini now on the top of Purnagiri hills and Parvati etc. Chodaganga Deva was
at Raipur on Rusikulya were known as daughters antagonistic to Sakta images in his kingdom. All
of the great Tantrik Basu Praharaj in the 18th these traditions points out to the fact that the king
Century A.D. in Kharida in the district of Ganjam was not in favour of Sakta worship at all. During
and after his death they were enshrined in the this period all male deities were provided with
temple. Basu Praharaj was a famous Devi consorts or their female counterparts. Parvati
Bhakta in Ganjam. temple inside the Lingaraj temple at Bhubaneswar
Shri Jayadurga, now worshipped in and Laksmi temple inside the Jagannath temple
Bilaspur in the district of Ganjam in the house of at Puri were built during the Ganga period.
a Brahmin was brought from Bhawanipatna in the Saktism in Orissa took a different turn during the
19th Century A.D. by Punya Sloka late Ganga rule.
Bhubaneswar Tripathy over his head by walking 847, Kapil Prasad, P.O. Sundarapada,
from Kesinga through the dense forest of Parvati Bhubaneswar-751002

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