Bhagabati Temple

Bhagabati, the presiding deity of Banapur, is one of the twelve famous Saktipithas as mentioned by Sarala Dasa in his Oriya Mahabharata. The present temple and his Jagamohana are said to have been constructed by the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri.

The temple stands on the edge of a deep pool within a high enclose wall. Temple and Jagamohana are built in Pidha order and thickly plastered with lime mortar, later a newpillared Mandapa has been added to the front of the Jagamohana for convenience of the devotees. The niches of the inner wall of the compound contain loose sculptures of Ganesha, Kartikeya and Parvati and Chamunda. An image of Mahisamardini Durga locally known as Bhagavati is worshiped in the sanctum of the main temple. The deity appears to be eight armed figures of Mahisamardini Durga. Of the eight hands in the four on the right objects are sword, spear, short dagger, and arrow and the hands of the left side display shield, bow, conch and disc. The chopped off head of the buffalo demon is lying on the lotus pedestal. She is adorned with decorative ornaments. Ganesha and Parvati images are kept in southern and northern niches respectively as Parsvadevatas. The Parvati image is locally worshipped as Bhubaneswari. A separate shrine has been constructed in front of the Jagamohana for worship of Goddess Polaksuni, which is an image of Mahisamardini Durga. Another image of Chamunda is kept near the Polakasuni image.

Banpur is 8 kms. from Balugaon and 105 kms. from Bhubaneswar.

Animal Sacrifice

On 5 October 2010 the Orissa High Court has directed the state government to make sure that animal sacrifices are not conducted at the Bhagabati Temple during the Dussehra celebration. At the Banapur Bhagabati temple such strict direction from the Orissa High Court was not admitted. Due to this the Khurda district administration has imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code on the temple in order to prevent the animal killing and sacrifices in the temple premise.

It has been a tradition to serve the goddess with animal sacrifices during the Dussehra celebrations but after the Orissa High Court ruling, eight platoons of police force have been deployed at the temple in order to maintain law and order. At the same time Maa Bhagbati Parampara Surakhya Mancha, a local organization supporting the traditional rituals, has decided to protest against the district administration and declared a bandh, including a hunger strike. 

On 22 October 2010 the temple opened again after consecration by a group of Brahmins fromGovardhana matha, Puri.