Sakshigopal Temple

Sakshigopal temple

Sakshigopal Temple is a medieval temple dedicated to Lord Gopal located in the town of Sakshigopal on the Puri Bhubaneshwar highway in Odisha, India. The temple is built in the Kalinga style of temple architecture.

Origin

It is said that a poor young man of the village, later named Sakhigopal, fell in love with the daughter of the village headman. However, being of a higher economic status, the headman opposed marriage between this young man and his daughter. The villagers, including the headman and the young man, went on a pilgrimage to Kashi. The village headman fell ill and was abandoned by fellow villagers. The young man tended to him so well that he soon got well and, in gratitude, promised his daughter in marriage to the young man. As soon as they returned to the village, the headman went back on his promise, asking the young man to produce a witness in support of his claim.

Lord Gopal, impressed by the young man's devotion, agreed to come and bear witness to the promise on one condition: that the young man lead the way and he would follow, but the young man must never look back. He led the way to the village, passing a mound of sand. As they passed, the man could not hear the Lord's footsteps and turned back. Immediately the Lord turned into a statue of stone rooted to the spot. The villagers were still so impressed that God himself came to back the young man's claim that the youngsters were married off; they were later appointed as the first priests of the temple built in Lord Gopal's honor who came to bear witness (known in Sanskrit as Sakshi).

Deity's idol made by Vajra (grandson of Krishna)

King Vajra (the grandson of Lord Krishna) had 16 idols of Krishna and other gods carved from a rare, imperishable stone called Braja and built temples to house these idols in and around Mathura so as to feel the presence of Lord Krishna. The four presiding idols of Braja Mandala are Sri Harideva of Govardhan, Sri Keshava Deva of Mathura, Sri Baladeva of Baladeo, and Govindaji of Vrindavan. There are two Naths—Sri Nathji, who was originally at Govardhan and is now in Nathdwar, Rajasthan, and Sri Gopinath, who is now in Jaipur. The two Gopals are Sri Madana Mohan, who is now housed at Karoli Rajasthan, and Sakshi Gopal, who is now moved to the town of Sakshi Gopal, Orissa, near Puri.

Amla Navami

The temple is famous for celebrating the annual Amla Navami Festival (Amla = gooseberry; Navami = ninth day in a lunar cycle). The festival is associated with the practice of touching Radha's feet (Radha was the legendary lover of Lord Krishna). Legend has it that the temple was originally without a statue of Radha. But when a girl named Lakhmi claimed to be the incarnation of Radha, and it is believed that Lord Krishna (here as Gopal) should not be without his true love Radha, a statue from northern India was installed here. The statue had originally Ghagra and Choli adorned but when it was clad on a traditional saree of Odisha, the feet of the statue was visible and the priests took it for a holy sign. From that day Amla Navami is celebrated and Hindu pilgrims are allowed inside the temple to touch the goddess's feet.

Daily food offerings

The food offerings at Sakhigopala temple are made of wheat instead of rice. This is one of exceptional offerings among the worshipping processes of Vishnu temples all over the world, which is called prasad.

References

Hindu temples in Odisha

Bhubaneswar

Shiva temples	Aisanyesvara Siva Temple Akhadachandi Temple Astasambhu Temples Bhima Kunda Bhringesvara Siva Temple Bhrukutesvar Siva Temple Brahmeswara Temple Byamokesvara Temple Chakreshvari Siva Temple Champakesvara Siva Temple Chandrasekhara Mahadeva Temple Chintamanisvara Siva Temple Devasabha Temple Dishisvara Siva Temple Gangesvara Siva Temple Gosagaresvar Siva Temple Jaleswar Siva Temple Precinct Kalika_Siva_Temple Kapilesvara Siva Temple Kedareswar Temple Labesvara Siva Temple Ladu Baba Temple Lakhesvara Siva Temple Lingaraj Temple Madneswar Siva Temple Mangalesvara Siva Temple Manibhadresvara Temple - II Mukteswar Temple Nagesvara Temple, Bhubaneswar Pabaneswara Temple Papanasini Siva Temple Parsurameswar Temple Purvesvara Siva Temple Rajarani Temple Rameshwar Deula Sarvatresvara Siva Temple Siddhesvara Siva Temple Subarnesvara Siva Temple Suka Temple Sukutesvara Temple Svapnesvara Siva Temple Talesvara Siva Temple Tirthesvara Siva Temple Uttaresvara Siva Temple Vaital Deula Yameshwar Temple

Vishnu temples	Ananta Vasudeva Temple Bharati Matha Gandhi Garabadu Precinct Vishnu Temple Ram Mandir, Bhubaneswar Vishnu Temple, Bhubaneswar

Shakti temples	Chausathi Jogini Temple Parvati Temple, Odisha

Other temples	Brahma Temple, Bindusagar Hanuman Temple, Kedara-Gouri Sivatirtha Matha

Cuttack district

Shiva temples	Chateshwar Temple Dhabaleswar Simhanath Temple

Vishnu temples	Madhava Temple

Shakti temples	Bhattarika Temple Charchika Temple Cuttack Chandi Temple Durga Temple, Baideshwar Durga Temple, Motia

Other temples	Brahma Temple, Niali

Puri district

Shiva temples	Beleswar Temple Lokanatha Temple Markandeshwar Temple

Vishnu temples	Alarnatha Mandira Chakra Narasimha Temple Gundicha Temple Jagannath Temple, Puri Narasimha Temple, Puri Sakshigopal Temple

Shakti temples	Bata Mangala Temple Kakatpur Mangala Temple Mausi Maa Temple Ramachandi Temple Varahi Deula, Chaurasi Vimala Temple

Sun temples	Konark Sun Temple

Other temples	Govardhana matha Emar Matha

Western Odisha

Shiva temples	Kosaleswara temple Leaning Temple of Huma

Vishnu temples	Nrusinghanath Temple Patali Srikhetra

Shakti temples	Lankeswari Temple Samaleswari Temple Sureswari temple

Other temples	Harishankar Temple Sasisena Temple

Rayagada district

Shiva temples	Bhimashankar Chatikona Nilakantheswar Temple Pataleswar

Vishnu temples	Jagannath Temple, Gunupur Jagannath Temple, Rayagada Laxminarayan temple, Therubali

Shakti temples	Maa Markama Temple Majhighariani Temple

Other

Shiva temples	Ajaikapada Bhairava Temple Akhandalamani Temple Annakoteshvara Temple Bhuvaneshwar Temple, Boudh Chandaneswar Gupteswar Cave Godhaneswar temple Indralath Temple Kapilash Temple Murga Mahadeva Shrine Nilakantheswar Temple Panchalingeshwar Sekhareswar Temple

Vishnu temples	Anantasaayi Vishnu Temple Ananta Shayana Anantashayana Vishnu Baladevjew Temple Chhatia Bata Jagannath Temple, Baripada Jagannath Temple, Dharakote Jagannath Temple, Koraput Jagannath Temple, Nayagarh Khirachora Gopinatha Temple Lakhmi Varaha Temple Narayana Gosain Temple Nilamadhav Temple Odogaon Raghunath Temple Varahanatha Temple

Shakti temples	Bhadrakali Temple, Aharapada Bhagabati Temple, Banapur Biraja Temple Ghanteswari Temple Goddess Maheshwari Kalijai Kanaka Durga, Raulapalli Kichakeshwari Temple Maa Barunei Temple Maa Tarini Temple, Ghatgaon Maa Ugra Tara Maa Markama Temple Mahishamardini Temple Majhighariani Temple Manikeshwari Temple Marichi temple Mausimaa Temple Metakani Temple Narayani Temple Saptamatruka Temple Sarala Temple Siddha Bhairavi Taratarini Temple Upper Bagh Devi Temple

Sun temples	Biranchinarayan Temple, Buguda Biranchinarayan Temple, Palia

Ganesha temples	Budha Ganesha Temple Mahavinayak Temple Siddha Vinayaka

Other temples	Bhandara Ghara Shrine Hanuman Vatika Harihara Deula Joranda Gadhi

Shakti temples in Odisha
Shiva temples in Odisha
Temples in Bhubaneswar

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