Dandumaramma temple remains open for 9 days a year

Berhampur: You can have a glimpse of a Goddess’ temple at Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district which remains closed throughout the year except for nine days during Dussehra.

The doors of Dandumaramma temple, situated in Dola Tank Road in Paralakhemundi bordering Andhra Pradesh, 120 km from here, opened on ‘Pratipada Tithi’ for Navaratri puja after one year. The doors of the temple would be closed at midnight.

The process has been going on since 2005 and the practice is followed only in one temple in Odisha. Prior to 2005, the temple used to remain open between Ashtami and Dasami, the last three days of Navratri. But the Puja Committee decided to open the temple doors for nine days in 2005.

There is another interesting feature of the Durga Puja festival associated with this temple. Before the doors are closed, a coconut, that is kept in an earthen pot after traditional offerings, remains fresh even after one year. It is then distributed as ‘prasad’ among all the families residing at Dandumala Street, where the temple is located.

“We offer rice, dal and vegetable curry to Dandumaramma during these nine days when the door of the temple remains open. Special ‘Homa’ and ‘Kumkum’ Puja are being observed from Ashtami to Dashami,” said the priest.

All the residents of Dandumala Street visit the temples of Purunapatnam Goddess in adjoining Andhra Pradesh and Mokkatotamma in Paralakhemundi, considered to be the elder sisters of Dandumaramma and offer cock as sacrifice. They visit a ghat in Sita Sagar situated at the back side of the Paralakhemundi Royal Palace at about 6 pm on Dashami.

“After purifying the earthen pot, we decorate it with flowers and keep a coconut inside,” said the president of the Puja Committee. This process lasts about six hours. “We then visit Neelamani Durga Temple in Paralakhemundi and sacrifice a goat before returning to the main Dandumaramma temple to keep the earthen pot with the coconut inside and seal the temple doors before 3 am,” they said.

According to Puja Committee sources, Nageswar Rao has been the priest of this temple since 2013. Sabitri Amma was worshiping Goddess Dandumaramma as a family tradition from 1989 to 2013 and died at the age of 70 years. Prior to Sabitri Amma, her father-in-law late Varada Chinna Rao worshipped the Goddess for about 50 years from 1939 to 1989.

According to legend, the erstwhile rulers of Paralakhemundi used to worship the idol, which was then kept in the Paralakhemundi Royal Palace some 253 years ago, before going to war. The idol has been taken to Dandumala Street after the war between Paralakhemundi ruler Jagannath Gajapati Narayan Dev along with Vijayanagar ruler Bijayram Raju against the British Army in 1768. The Parlakhemundi ruler was defeated in the war. He then ordered residents of Dandumala Street to worship Goddess Dandumaramma, said Dibakar Patnaik, a researcher and writer of several books on the culture and history of Paralakhemundi.

Many residents of Dandumala Street saw the Goddess as a pretty child during the late night on many occasions. People say Goddess Dandumaramma used to walk around in the area, and hence, the temple doors were closed throughout the year and opened for three days thereafter. Locals believe that the Goddess saves them from diseases, thefts, accidents and other natural disasters at Dandumala Street.

Committee president Kariggi Satish, Secretary G Anand and members Y Dilleswar Rao, K Ravikumar are the custodians of the temple management. “Indeed, this temple attracts devotees from various places to pray for peace and prosperity. They have the highest beliefs and expectations,” says teacher Ramachandra Mishra.