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Foundation Year1830 - 1840Sthala TreeTheerthamRathamArchitectureKalinga ArchitectureOther Speciality
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Akhandalamani Temple at Aradi village, Odisha, India, is dedicated to Lord Siva. Aradi is about 37 kilometers (23 mi) away from Bhadrak.
There is no conclusive history available either regarding Baba Akhandalamani or the temple of the Lord Siva. According to legend, around 350 years ago during the rule of Raja Sri Niladri Samara Singha Mohapatra, the Raja sent a peasant to cultivate his paddy field on the bank of the river Baitarani one early morning. While cultivating, the blade of his plough was broken by hitting with some hard material. The peasant was astonished and found a black glazed granite stone full of blood flowing toward the river Baitarani. The peasant ran to call King Niladrisamar Singhm and he hurriedly came to the spot, finding a flood of milk in place of blood and a huge black cobra hooding the stone.
That night the king had a dream regarding the arrival of the God Akhandalamani in that place. This news spread like wildfire in the locality. The next day 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 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. The present main temple of Aradi was built by the King of Konika Shri Harihara Bhanja and his chief queen Satyabhama Patadei.
The height of the temple is around 150 ft. All the stones used in this temple were brought from the historic hill of Lalitgiri near Chandikhol.
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- FestivalsMahashivratriIt is locally called Jagara Mela. On this day pilgrims and devotees inside and outside the state are assembled and worship Akhandalamani at Aradi. Bol bam devotees come to Aradi in large numbers from different areas in the month of Sravana to worship God and pour holy water over the Shiva Linga. The Bol bam devotees carry holy water from different rivers of India like Ganges, Baitarani, Mahanadi, Salandi, Peta, etc. with a bamboo lever.Panaa SankrantiLord Sree Aakhandaleswar’s pahada (the holy sleep) breaks at 4 am at the dawn. After mukha prakhyalana (washing the face) and danta manjan (brushing teeth), the divine mangal aarati (celestial worship of god) starts. The chief worshiper of the temple prays and cordially requests the lord for the ablution. Mangala aarati is offered after naibedya. Then lord Aakhandaleswar appears with Digambar complexion and the nectar like Panchaa-mruta Gharshan ritual starts.Chandan yatraIn the month of Jyestha, when the existence of life becomes a difficult task due to the intolerable heat of the hard sun, the Chandana Chaapa (the wholly boating) starts in Siva-Ganga (holly pond of Lord Aahkandaleswar). Chandrasekhar, the moving idol of Lord Sree Aakhandaleswar romances with goddess Parvati (wife of lord Aakhandaleswar and mother of the creation) in the boat being astride on Brusabha (ox)Siva VibahThe wedding ceremony of Lord Siva is organized in the temple of lord Aakhandaleswar in the lunar month of Aasadha. One of the priests of the temple performs the role of the father of the bridegroom, and the other the father of the bride. Then the priests fix the sacred moment to start the celestial marriage ceremony and welcome the bridegroom with all respect and dignity. Shiva Vibah (marriage ceremony of Lord Shiva) continues for the whole night and ends with the emotional union of the bride’s and bridegroom’s fathers.Shrabani MahotshabFrom the first Monday of the month of Shrabana, Shrabani Mahotsaba starts. Everywhere the voice “Jatiaa baba par karega ” (Lord Shiva is the only way of salvation) echoes. From the different parts of the country, devotees come for the Jalaaviseka (the wholly ritual of pouring holy water on the deity) of Lord Aakhandaleswar. Kaaudias (devotees of Lord Shiva) collect the holy water from different rivers, carry it on their shoulders and come by walk to the temple of Lord Aakhandaleswar.
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