Tara Tarini Temple: Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen) Nov 8: The Maha Snana ritual will be performed at the Tara Tarini Temple, located atop Kumari Hill in Odisha’s Ganjam district, following a recent incident in which thieves allegedly desecrated the shrine and stole valuables worth lakhs. The ritual, aimed at purifying the temple, began on Friday morning with priests and devotees gathering at the Rushikulya River to collect 108 pitchers of water. They will then climb the 999 steps to the temple to bathe the presiding deity with the ritually purified water.
After the bath, the ritual will continue with the recitation of three mantras 108 times, and the temple will be reopened for darshan. A temple servitor explained, “The thieves defiled the temple by entering the sanctum sanctorum, and this ritual is essential to restore its sanctity.”
The theft occurred late Tuesday night when miscreants broke into the 500-year-old temple in Purusottampur village, stealing silver and gold ornaments, along with other valuable items, including silver crowns, ceremonial umbrellas, and face masks of the twin deities. The stolen items are estimated to be worth around ₹10 lakh.
It’s worth noting that renovation works at the temple, costing ₹117 crore, were undertaken in 2022 to enhance its infrastructure and preserve its heritage.
