Akhandalamani Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar is the nearest airport listed, about 132 km away.

• By train

  Bhadrak Railway Station is the nearest station listed for the temple. Bhadrak is the district headquarters, 37 km from Aradi.

• By road

  The road from Bhadrak runs via Asurali, Kothara and Dhusuri to Aradi. The temple is 37 km east of Bhadrak, the district headquarters.

Why devotees come here

Akhandalamani Temple stands on the bank of the Baitarani river at Aradi, 37 km east of Bhadrak. It is dedicated to Shiva, also called Baba Akhandalamani. It is counted among the renowned Saiva pithas of Odisha.

Legend says King Niladri Samara Singha Mohapatra dreamt of the arrival of the deity after a stone was found on the Baitarani riverbank. There is no conclusive history of Baba Akhandalamani or the temple, so the account here rests on legend. Devotees worship Shiva here as Baba Akhandalamani, the deity of this temple.

The first temple here was made of wood. Between 1830 and 1840 it was replaced by the cement and concrete temple that stands today. The present main temple of Aradi was built by King Shri Harihara Bhanja and his chief queen Satyabhama Patadei.

All the stones used in the temple were brought from the historic Lalitgiri hill near Chandikhol. The temple also observes Mahasibaratri, locally called Jagara mela. Bol bam devotees come in large numbers in the Sravana month.

Festivals

• Date not listedMahasibaratri

  Locally called Jagara mela.

• Sravana monthSravana month

  Bol bam devotees come in large numbers from different areas to worship the deity.

Tips for your visit

• The Baitarani river links Aradi to Chandabali by boat.
• A boat from Chandabali ferry ghat to Aradi takes hardly two hours.

Questions people ask