Sakhigopala
Sakhigopal is a village in Puri subdivision located 19km away north of Puri town on the State Highway No. 8. Sakhigopal is one of the most famous pilgrimage spots of Orissa, is surrounded by Sasans (Brahmin Settlements) and is hub of trade activity in Paddy and Coconuts. Pilgrims generally visit the place on the subway to Jagannath Temple at Puri. It is believed that one’s pilgrimage to Puri is incomplete without a visit to Sakhigopal.
Literally, Sakhigopal means “Witness Gopal”, i.e. Krishna and is derived from the following legend. In South India, two Brahmins of Vidyanagar went to Brundaban on pilgrimage. There at Brundaban the elder Brahmin fell seriously ill and the young Brahmin looked after the ailing sick companion. On recovery, the old man promised before Lord Krishna’s image that he would give his daughter in marriage to the young man. On their return to home, after pilgrimage, the marriage proposal was bitterly opposed by the relations of the elder Brahmin on the ground that the young man belonged to the lower strata of Brahmin caste and as such he was not eligible. Influenced by their protests the old man gave his companion evasive replies denying that he had made any such promise. The young man then complained before the King of Vidyanagar.
The King asked him to adduce evidence in support of the promise being made. As there were no other witnesses during the promise-giving, the young man proceeded to Brundavan to ask Lord Krishna to bear witness. At Brundaban he worshipped the Lord for days together and prayed that the god would come and attest the promise. Moved by his devotion, Lord Krishna granted his prayer on the condition that he should never look back while on the road. The young man then asked “How am I to believe that you are following me”. To this the Lord replied “You will be hearing the tinkling sound of my nupur (an ornament of the feet that makes a sweet tinkling sound) all the way. But if you look behind, I shall stop then & there”. Thus the Lord followed the young man to Vidyanagar. On the way to Vidyanagar they had to cross the river Godavari. On the sandy bed, sand-filled the nupurs of the Lord which no longer made any sound. The young man being apprehensive of the Lord’s disappearance looked back and there upon the image of the Lord stood firm and would not move. The young man went into the town and told the Brahmin and the town-folk of the arrival of the God, whereupon they all went outside the town and was astonished to find the very image of Lord Krishna of Brundban.
This miracle made the Old Brahmin repent and he gave his daughter in marriage to the young man. the news reached the ears of the King, who built a temple on the spot and worshipped the image with great pomp and ceremony. The image was thereafter known as ‘SAKHIGOPAL’ i.e. Gopal, a synonym for Krishna, who was witness.
The image was brought from Vidyanagar by Purusottama Deb (1467-1495), the Gajapati, King of Odissa, as a part of the spoil which he took from the captured city. He installed it in his fort at Cuttack where Chaitanya stayed while on his way to Puri. After the Muslim occupation of Odissa the deity was moved from place to place by the chiefs of Khurda and was atlast installed at village Alasa (the old name of Sakhigopal) at the instance of one religious minded Brahmachari. The brahmachari also raised huge donations and built the present temple 60ft in height, in the first part of the 19th century A.D. At a later date, probably between 1850 and 1870 , an image of Radha was prepared from the donations by the then ruler of Ranpur and was placed to the left of Sakhigopal. The five feet high image of Sakhigopal, cut out of a solid block of stone, represents Sri Krishna standing erect with flute in his hands. Radha’s image is a little over four feet in height. Bhogas offered to the deity are prepared out of wheat products. Rice is not offered. One can get to see the feet of the deity only on the ‘Anala nawami’ Day. During special occasions, like Janmastami and Raas Leela, the temple is extensively decorated. A large number of ceremonies are held, which are attended by a large number of devotees. The Temple is under the management of the commissioner of Endowments, Orissa, since 1939.
