Biraja Temple, Jajpur, Odisha
Maa Biraja Devi in Jajpur, Odisha is a unique temple of great importance. It is not only a Shaktipeeth but is the location of ‘Nabhi Gaya’, one of the three most holy places for after-death ceremonies like Shradh and Pind Daan. Maa Biraja Temple is the place where Mata Sati’s navel fell. It is also one of the locations of a Yagya performed by Lord Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu.
Maa Biraja as a Shakti Peeth
The story of Daksha Yagna is well known. Unable to bear Lord Shiva being insulted, Sati Mata ended Her life by entering the sacrificial fire. After that Lord Shiva, took to the skies with Her half-burnt body causing great devastation. Lord Vishnu stopped this with His Sudarshan Chakra. which cut Sati Mata’s body into 51 parts. The place where Her body parts fell came to be Shakti Peeths.
Maa Biraja as Nabhi Gaya
Gayasura, a demon, had performed severe penances and austerities. He attained great powers granted by Lord Brahma as a result of it. So great were his powers that a person could go to heaven after death just by touching him. This upset the balance of nature and people without merit were getting into heaven. To stop this Gayasura needed to be killed. Lord Brahma asked Gayasura to allow his body to be used as a platform for a Yagya. He agreed. Gayasura was so big that when he lay down – his head was in Gaya (Bihar), his middle part in Jajpur (Odisha), and his feet in Pithapuram (Andhra Pradesh). The condition was that he would not move until the seven-day Yagya was over. On the sixth day, Gayasura was tricked into moving and had to die. Gayasura happily accepted death and asked for a boon before dying. He wanted the three places where his head, middle part, and feet lay to become sacred places for people to do Shradh ceremonies and Pind Daan.
Nabhi Gaya is a well of limitless depth, in the compound of the Biraja Devi Temple.
Maa Biraja Temple
This area is known as Biraj Kshetra and has flourished as a pilgrimage since ancient times. The first temple on the present site here was built in the 1st or 2nd century CE and was rebuilt in the 13th century CE. It was then destroyed by invaders in 1569 and finally rebuilt in 1840. In the sanctum, a Muri of the Goddess is seen standing on Mahishasura. There is a smaller shrine dedicated to Bagalamukhi Mata. The temple is in the shape of a triangle with Shivlings in each corner.
There are several other temples within the complex dedicated to various deities. Shardiya Navratri is the main festival celebrated here.
Maa Biraja Panjika 2021
Biraja Calendar 2021 is an Odia calendar and panjika, popular in most a part of the Odisha and of doors Odisha. This biraja calendar and panjika is made and counted by Pandit Sri Chandra Sekhar Nanda. This calendar has been utilized in Maa Biraja temple and Biraja Mandali for the past 27 years. to organize this calendar data has been taken from biraja panjika.
Similar to the Gregorian calendar there are twelve months in the biraja Odia calendar and they are – (1) Baisakhi (2) Jyestha (3) Ashadha (4) Srabana (5) Bhadraba (6) Aswina (7) Kartika (8) Margasira (9) Pausha (10) Magha (11) Phalguna (12) Chaitra
Similar to the western or Gregorian calendar there are six seasons in the biraja odia calendar and they are – (1) Grishma (2) Barsha (3) Sharada (4) Hemanta (5) Shita (6) Basanta
Temple Timings
- 4:00 AM to 01:00 PM
- 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM
How to reach Ma Biraja Temple, Jajpur
- The nearest railway station is the Jajpur Keonjhar railway station which is about 30 km from the temple.
- The nearest airport is Bhubaneswar Airport, about 103 km from the temple.
