Shakti PeethaShakti

Biraja Temple Jajpur

📍Jajpur, Odisha

The Girija (Biraja) Shakti Peetha at Jajpur on the Baitarani river, where the navel of Sati is said to have fallen. The goddess is worshipped as a two-armed Mahishamardini piercing the buffalo demon.

Primary Deity

Shakti

Location

Jajpur, Odisha

Pilgrimage Circuit

Shakti Peetha

Best Time to Visit

October to March; Navratri and the Sharad festivals are the grandest.

Significance

Jajpur is counted among the Shakti Peethas, marking where the navel (nabhi) of Sati fell; the Shakti is Girija/Biraja and the Bhairava is Jagannath. The site is revered as the 'Viraja Kshetra', a gateway among the sacred zones of Odisha alongside Puri and Bhubaneswar. Bathing in the Baitarani and worship of Biraja are believed to cleanse sins and aid departed ancestors.

About

The Biraja (Viraja) temple at Jajpur, an ancient capital of Odisha, is one of the oldest and holiest Devi shrines of the state. The presiding goddess, Biraja or Girija, is depicted as a two-armed form of Durga (Mahishamardini) spearing the demon Mahishasura, her image distinguished by a crown bearing Ganesha and a crescent moon. The temple precinct, dotted with numerous shivalingas and sacred tanks, is regarded as a supremely purifying tirtha, and Jajpur is celebrated as a place for performing ancestral rites on the Baitarani river.

Part of the Shakti Peetha

The Shakti Peethas are revered shrines marking the places where parts of Goddess Sati's body are believed to have fallen. Each embodies the divine feminine energy (Shakti). This temple is one of the 45 sacred sites of the Shakti Peetha.

Other temples in this circuit

Shakti PeethaShakti

Alopi Devi Mandir

📍 Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh

A unique Shakti Peetha in Prayagraj where no idol is worshipped — only a wooden cradle (doli) over the spot where the last part of Sati's body is said to have vanished (alop).

🛕

Shakti PeethaShakti

Ambaji Temple

📍 Banaskantha, Gujarat

One of the 51 Shakti Peethas, revered as the place where the heart of Goddess Sati fell, near the Gujarat–Rajasthan border. It is among the most visited pilgrimage sites in western India.

🛕

Shakti PeethaShakti

Attahas Fullara Temple Labhpur

📍 Birbhum, West Bengal

A Shakti Peetha at Labhpur in Birbhum where the lips of Sati are said to have fallen, with the goddess worshipped as Fullara amid a serene grove and sacred tank.

🛕

Shakti PeethaShakti

Bahula Temple Ketugram

📍 Purba Bardhaman, West Bengal

A Shakti Peetha at Ketugram on the banks of the Ajay river where the left arm of Sati is said to have fallen, with the goddess worshipped as Bahula.

Shakti PeethaShakti

Bakreshwar Temple Birbhum

📍 Birbhum, West Bengal

A Shakti Peetha in Birbhum where the space between Sati's eyebrows is said to have fallen, famous also for its cluster of hot springs. The goddess is worshipped as Mahishamardini.

Shakti PeethaShakti

Bargabhima Temple Tamluk

📍 Purba Medinipur, West Bengal

The Vibhash Shakti Peetha at ancient Tamluk (Tamralipta) where the left ankle of Sati is said to have fallen, with the goddess worshipped as Kapalini (Bhimarupa).

🛕

Shakti PeethaShakti

Bhramari Devi Temple Jalpaiguri

📍 Jalpaiguri, West Bengal

The Tristrota Shakti Peetha at Boda near the Teesta river in North Bengal, where the left leg of Sati is said to have fallen, with the goddess worshipped as Bhramari.

🛕

Shakti PeethaShakti

Brijeshwari Temple

📍 Kangra, Himachal Pradesh

An ancient and much-plundered Shakti Peetha in the Kangra Valley, revered as the place where the left breast of Goddess Sati fell. It has been rebuilt many times through a turbulent history.

Shakti PeethaShakti

Chintpurni Temple

📍 Una, Himachal Pradesh

A much-loved Shakti Peetha in the Una hills where Sati's forehead is said to have fallen. Its name means 'she who fulfils all worries and wishes' (chinta).

Shakti PeethaShakti

Danteshwari Temple Dantewada

📍 Dantewada, Chhattisgarh

A revered Shakti Peetha in the forests of Bastar at the confluence of the Dankini and Shankini rivers, where a tooth of Sati is said to have fallen. Danteshwari is the presiding goddess of the old Bastar kingdom.

Shakti PeethaShakti

Devi Talab Mandir Jalandhar

📍 Jalandhar, Punjab

The Tripurmalini Shakti Peetha of Jalandhar, built around an ancient sacred tank (talab), where the left breast of Sati is said to have fallen.

🛕

Shakti PeethaShakti

Devikoop Bhadrakali Temple Kurukshetra

📍 Kurukshetra, Haryana

A Shakti Peetha at Kurukshetra where the right ankle bone of Sati is said to have fallen, and where the Pandavas are believed to have worshipped the goddess before the Mahabharata war.

Nearby Temples

Shiva

Lingaraj Temple

📍 Bhubaneswar, Odisha

The largest and grandest temple of Bhubaneswar, the 'Temple City of India', and a superb example of Kalinga architecture from the 11th century. Here Shiva is worshipped as Harihara, uniting Shiva and Vishnu.

85.6 km away

Surya

Konark Sun Temple

📍 Konark, Odisha

A UNESCO World Heritage masterpiece conceived as the colossal chariot of the Sun God, complete with 24 exquisitely carved stone wheels and seven straining horses. It is the crowning glory of Kalinga architecture.

109.9 km away

Char DhamVishnu

Jagannath Temple Puri

📍 Puri, Odisha

One of the four Char Dham, home to Lord Jagannath and his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra, worshipped as unique wooden deities. It is world-famous for its colossal annual Rath Yatra chariot festival.

128.0 km away

Frequently Asked Questions

Which deity is worshipped at Biraja Temple Jajpur?

Biraja Temple Jajpur is primarily dedicated to Shakti.

Where is Biraja Temple Jajpur located?

Biraja Temple Jajpur is located in Jajpur, Odisha.

What is the best time to visit Biraja Temple Jajpur?

October to March; Navratri and the Sharad festivals are the grandest.

Which pilgrimage circuit does Biraja Temple Jajpur belong to?

Biraja Temple Jajpur is one of the 45 temples in the Shakti Peetha.

Why is Biraja Temple Jajpur significant?

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