FAMOUS TEMPLES OF PURI

Banki Muhana Ramachandi Temple

This temple is a typical legendry temple which is a synonyim of Tantrick Rituals. It is situated just behind the Cholera Hospital of Puri town. From Red Cross road(from Badasankha leading to Puri Railway Station), there is a diversion to Sarbodaya Nagar while just enetring the lane close to the border of the said hospital the temple is visible. It is 40 feet high from the ground. The name Rama Chandi implies 'RAMA ADHARITA CHANDI' or the Goddess worshipped by Lord Rama Chandra. In the eastern zone of the country there are many temples designated as Rama Chandi temple. This indicates the path vide which Lord Ramachandra has travelled. During 13th century the king Vanu Dev II who constructed the 'Atharnala bridge', installed the famous 'Sadbhuja' (six-armed) statue of Goddess Ramachandi which represents 'Sakti'. The river Malini was previously separating the BADADANDA, so that two sets of chariots were prepared during Car Festival. The temple was designated 50 to 70 years back as 'BADI THAKURANI' which means the tourists on foot who expired of cholera were burnt or thrown here. The meeting of river Malini with the sea is known as 'MUHANA'.

During Durga puja for 16 days consequetively there occurs the esteemed puja, varities of dressing, Chandi patha, Homa and other vedic customs. Through out the year, there is a great influx of piligrims and selected intelligentia to the spot which is the 'TANTRA KHETRA' oldest of Puri town.

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Siddha Mahavir Temple

This is a famous spot where the epithet of Lord Hanuman is being worshipped. The standing image of the Lord Hanuman is about 5-6 feet high. The surface is very enjoyable due to the location of the lotus tank.

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Siddha Hanuman Temple

At a distance of about half a mile (804.672 metres), to the west of Gundicha temple, dedicated to Siddha Hanuman. Some scholars say that the image installed inside this temple is that of 'Angada'. It is also believed that Santh Tulasidas, the author of Rama Charitamanasa, used to stay in the premises of this temple.

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Dariamahavir Temple

Towards the northern end of the town on the beach is the temple of Dariamahavir, which is a small temple dedicated to Hanuman. He is also known as Bedi Hanuman. This temple is connected with Pana Sankranti ritual of the Jagannath temple .

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Gundicha Temple

Next to the Great Jagannath temple, the most important sanctuary of Jagannath is the Gundicha temple, the abode to which Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are driven each on his or her wooden car once in a year, during the car festival. Except for these few days, it is unoccupled, but there is a small establishment of servents by whom it is regularly maintained. It is situated at the other end of the great highway (Badadanda). The distance between the gates of Jagannath temple and the Gundicha temple is exactly 2,688.0696 metres (8,327 feet).

The temple is sorrounded by a wall and stands in the middle of a garden. The height of the wall is 20 feet and width is 5 feet. The length of the temple is 430 feet. The height of this temple is 75 feet. The temple consists of four parts connected with kitchen rooms by a narrow passage. All the four structures (Vimana, Jagamohana, Natamandapa and Bhogamandapa) bear the taces of several plasterings. There is a plain raised seat, 4 feet high and 19 feet long, mada of chlorite and this is called the 'Ratnavedi', the throne on which the images are placed when brought to the temple.