Temples in Sonepur
Temples in Sonepur
Sashisena Temple
The Sashisena Temple was constructed by Biramitra Singhdeo to commemorate the eternal love between Sashisena, the princess of Amaravati and Ahimanikya the son of the minister of that kingdom. Also famous as the temple of Gayanadei maluani, having no opening at all, this monument speaks of the tantirc practices that once flourished at Sonepur.
Pancharatha Temple
Situated in the central palace of Sonepur near the bus stand, the Pacharatha temple was constructed in a chariot size. As many as five temples are built up on a single platform here. Lord Siva, Ganesh, Kartikeya and Rishava along with Goddess Parvati are worshipped here. King Birmitra Singhdeo is said to have built this temple to commemorate the death of his son Prince Somobhusan. Generally Lord Gandesh sits facing towards south in all the Shiva temples but in Puncharatha temple an east faced icon of Lord Ganesh is found. The architectural style of Pancharatha temple is compared with that of the Sub Temple of Knoark.
Budhima Temple
Goddess Budhima is worshipped in this temple. She is the presiding deity of the Dhera community. She was worshipped under a tree. Later on a temple was built for her by Bhagaban Senpati, the Chief of the Dehra community. King Pratapruda Deva is said to have brought Goddess Budhima from Berhampur.
Gundicha Temple
Also known as Narasimnath temple, this is the highest monument of Sonepur. The Gundicha temple is said to have been built by Gundicha devi to commemorate the birth of his son Niladri Singh. Lord Narasimnath is worshipped here. Further during the time of the Car festival. Lord Jagnnath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhdara are worshipped here. A colossal statue of Lord Narasimnath Located in the sanctum was built by king Prithiraj Singhdeo. The temple is about 80 feet high.
Rameswar Temple
The Rameswar temple is located at the confluence of rivers Mahandi and Tel. The lingam of the temple is very old. Legands associate Lord Rama with its installations. Lord Kartikeya and Ganesh along with Goddess Parvati are also worshipped here. A Durga temple is also found near the Rameswar temple where the image of an ten armed Durga is found. Outside the boundary of the Rameswar temple there is a Brisava temple with colossal image of black Brisava. This temple was built by the Somovamsis in 9th Century A.D.
Suvarnameru Temple
The temple of Suvarnameru is said to have originally built by a trader named Neulisa. It is said that the lingam of Suvarnameru Shiva was located on the right bank of river Tel in a village called Suvarnapali. Neulisa who was once going on trade with a bullock cart halted near the village Suvarnapali for some time. There he put some merchandise bags and in rder to sew the bags properly he wanted to sharpen his needle. He however rubbed the needle unknowingly on the smooth surface of the Swaymabhu lingam, which was there. To his great astonishment, he found the iron needle changed into a gold one. He at once realized that the smooth piece of stone was notning but a miraculous stone, which could covert iron into gold. He then brought all the pieces of iron which were with him and converted them into gold simply by touching the lingam. The trader tried to take away the lingam with him but be could not dig it out of the earth. In that night he was directed by Lord Suvarnameru in a dream to build a temple for him on the left bank of river Tel. The trader built a timpe for him and found the lingam appeared inside it. It is also said that on the occasin of the coming of Suvarnameru Siva, there was a shower of gold pieces for 2 ½ praharas (36 hours). The temple of Suvarnameru was built the region of the Somovamsis in 9th A.D.
Paschim Somanath Temple
The Paschim Somnath temple is situated in the western corner of Sonepur town. Previously. Lord Somonath was worshipped in a funeral ground, situated in the western corner of the town. He was the presiding diety of the Somovamsis of South Kosala and Orissa. The Paschim Somanath temple was constructed by King Prataprudra Deva. The temple has Mukhasala, Vimana, Brisava Mandap, Chandan Mandap. Homa Mnadap etc. Inside the compound of the temple of south faced Hanuman and Bhariraba facing to the west are found. Bhairaba facing to the west are found. Bhairaba is worshipped here by the Saivities before the worship of Siva. In this temple Goddess Parvati in the north. Lord Ganesh in the South and Lord Kartikeya in the west are worshipped as Parsvadevatas.
Gokraneswar Temple
In the western corner of Sonepur, on the bank of river Mahanadi, the Gokarneswar temple is situated. He was the presiding diety of the Imperial Gangas. The Gokarneswar temple was constructed by the Chauhan rulers. Goddess Ramachandi is also worshipped along with Gokarneswar here.
Sureswari Temple
The temple of Goddess Sureswari is the oldest Shakti shrine of Sonepur. Legend associates Lord Parasuam with the installation of Goddess Sureswari after the assassination of the Kshatriyas by him. The icon of the Goddess is found facing towards north in the temple. This monument is known to be built by King Achal Singh of Chauhan dynasty.
Khambeswari Temple
An icon of Goddess Khambeswari in the form of Vana Durga is found in the temple. The earliest reference of the Goddess is found in the Tarasinga copper plates of Maharaja Trustikara of 5th century A.D. Sonepur was a very important stronghold of the cult of Khambeswari during the regin of the Bhanjas and Somovamsis of 9th 10th century A.D. The temple of Khameswari at Sonepur represents the most vibrant manifestation of this cult. It is said that the Khemidi princes during her marriage with Rajaraja Singh, the Chauhan ruler of Sonepur had brought with her this icon of Khameswari to the rural palace. Later on the Khambesvari temple was built by the king.
Bhagabati Temple
The Mother Goddess in the form of Bhagabati is worshipped here. This temple is situated at a little distance from Rameswar temple. She is the presiding deity of the people of Sonepur and is believed to be their protector from all dangerous situation. An icon of the Goddess facing towards the west is found here. The Bhagabati temple is said to have been built by the Chauhan rulers of Sonepur.
Lankeswari Temple
In the bed of Mahandi there is a small rock called Lankeswari and the diety installed there is known by the same name. Lankeswari is the titulary Goddess of Kaivarta community and is worshipped daily by them. The deep gorge in Mahanadi near hill rock is called Lankeswari Darha. It is importatn to mention here that Goddess Lankeswari, the presiding diety of Lanka, the kingdom of Ravana. Infact Sonepur was a strong hold of Trantirc Buddhism literature and in the Trantric Buddhism it is referred to as Lanka.
Apart from the above mentioned temple, there are many other temples like Lokanath, Jagnnath, Gopalaji, Ramji, Brindabanhihari, Gopinath, Manikeswari, Samaleswari, Durga, Budhisamalai, Ramachandi, Bimalakshi and Hanuman temple etc. in this temple town.
Sonepur with its temples and buildings presents a beautiful sight from river Mahanadi. The sight of the town from a boat amidst Mahanadi in the moonlight is magnificent. When the river Mahanadi is in flood and flows with a deep groan washing the parapet walls of the Maharaja’s palace, a romance of sight and sound charms the town. Fishing in the Lankeswari gorge by country boats afford pleasant experience. The soaring principles of various temples which adorn the skyline of Sonepur justify it as a temple town of Orissa.
Baidyanath
Baidyanath is a place of historical importance being located on the left bank or river Tel. at a distance of 14 km from Sonepur. Lord Kosaleswar Siva, the presiding deity is worshipped in a modern shrine after the fall of the old one. But the existing parch reveals excellent craftmanship of medieval art dating back to 10th century. This place draws an enormous crowd on the occasion of Shivaratri.
Khaliapali
Kahliapali is an importatn seat of Mahima cult where the Bhima Bhoi Samadhi temple is located. It is 25km from Sonepur. It is importatn to note that Bhima Bhoi was a celebrated poet and religious thinker of 9th Century A.D. and was a preacher of Mahima cult. After his death here, his followers made Khalipali their principal religious centre. Magha chaurdasi festival is celebrated here with great pomp and splendor.
Binka: Located at a distance at 32 km from Sonepur, Binka is a historic city. It has derived its name from Binitapur which was a commercial town in medieval age. In the first part of 9th century A.D. it was the political headqaurters of the Somovamsis of South Kosala. The ruins of Tarauragarh, a medieval fort are found with deep moat connected with Mahanadi along with the other relics of historic importance, four kilometers to the south of Binka. Papashya Ghat on the bank of rive Mahanadi houses the shrine of Lord Gopal. A dip in the Mahanadi at the Ghat is believed to washway all sins in the lunar and solar eclipses.
Charada In this village, the Kapileswar temple is situated at a distance of 4 kms. from Binka and 35 kms. from sonepur., Legend says King Anangabhima 11 (1211-1238 A.D.) who conquered western Orissa from the hands of the Kalachuris of Ratnapur, once suffered from an incurable desease resulting from the sins of killing some Brahmin generals and prayed Lord Jagnnath to be cured from it. He was directed in a dream to construct some Shiva Temples in every Yojanas to get his sins washed away. At that time the Kapileswar temple was built. Of course the legend is not supported by any historical evidence. However the Kapileswar temple seems to be built after the Koseleswar temple of Baidyanath from architectural style. A big mela is held every year on the occasion of Shivaratri.
The village Charada also houses Goddess Chardei whose icon is assigned to 5th 6th Century A.D. Her main festival is Hanu Yatra which is celebrated with great fervour in the month of Kartika.
