Akhandalamani Shiva Temple (ଆଖଣ୍ଡଳମଣି ମଂଦିର), Aradi, Bhadrak

Written by Suryakanta Biswal

Tuesday, 13 October 2009 10:53

This famous Akhandalamani temple, the abode of "Lord Siva" is nicely located in the bank of river Baitarani, at Aradi, 37km away from the district head quarter of Bhadrak towards east by road via Asurali, Kothara and Dhusuri. This place is also linked with Chanbali by boat through the river Baitarani. From Chandbali ferry ghat to Aradi it will take hardly 2 hrs by boat.  There is no such conclusive history available either regarding Baba Akhandalamani or the temple of the lord siva. According to legends around 350 years ago during the rule of Raja Sri Niladri Samara Singha Mohapatra, once in an early morning the Raja sent a peasant to cultivate his Paddy field which was located on the bank of the river Baitarani. While cultivating, the blade of his plough was broken by hitting with some hard material. Then, the peasant was astonished and searched out and found a black glazed granite stone with full of blood which is flowing towards the river Baitarani. Afraid by this incident the peasant ran to call the King. Then the king Niladrisamar Singh hurriedly came to the spot, and found flood of milk in place of blood and a huge black cobra hooding the stone. On that night the king had a dream regarding the arrival of the God Akhandalamani on that place. This news spread like wild fire in the locality. The next day the king Niladri Samara Singha Mohapatra started worshiping the great god and immediately built a wooden temple on the spot. A large number of devotees from different villages and area started visiting and worshiping the great GOD. The king invited five Brahmins from a village named Naharagrama of Jajapur district to perform seva-puja ( Worshiping and taking care) of lord Akhandalamani.