Puri Heritage Walk unravels mystique of Sharadiya Shola Puja, tantric traditions

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

PURI, OCTOBER 13, 2026

The 25th edition of Puri Heritage Walks (PHW) offered a fascinating glimpse into the rich religious heritage, tantric traditions and age-old rituals of Srikshetra, with heritage enthusiasts exploring the distinctive Sharadiya Shola Puja and the sacred traditions associated with Goddess Durga.

The heritage walk, organised on Sunday, began at Maa Ardhasini Temple on the Grand Road, where PHW co-convenor Ashoka Manjari Nayak and the temple priest explained the significance of the presiding deity, popularly known as Mausi Maa, who is traditionally revered as the maternal aunt of Lord Jagannath and his siblings.

Participants were acquainted with the tradition of offering Poda Pitha to the sibling deities during the Bahuda Yatra and local legends linking the Goddess to the Malini River.

The group subsequently visited Maa Bisweswari Temple in Chudanga Sahi, north of the Shree Jagannath Temple, a shrine associated with the Ganga dynasty ruler Chodaganga Deva and the tantric heritage of the pilgrim town.

According to local traditions, Maa Bisweswari was the guardian deity of Nitei Dhobani, a tantric practitioner and spiritual preceptor of Chodaganga Deva, who is believed to have worshipped and consecrated the Goddess at the shrine. Local accounts also link the temple to the royal affairs of the Ganga ruler, whose palace is believed to have stood near the present shrine at a place known as Badu Mahapatra Jaga.

The presiding deity is worshipped as a manifestation of Maa Tara, one of the principal deities in tantric traditions. Her 16-day Shola Puja commences on Mulashtami and continues until Mahanavami during Durga Puja.

The four-armed Goddess is depicted holding a khadga (sword), a blue lotus and a dagger, with her fourth hand raised in a gesture of blessing. Facing south, the shrine is associated with the local belief that the Goddess gazes towards the Nilachakra of the Shree Jagannath Temple.

PHW member Priyankar Maharana explained the Goddess's iconography, historical associations and worship traditions to the participants.

The walk also covered Maa Marichai Temple, Maa Charchika at Rath Khala and Maa Sola Pua Temple in Dolamandap Sahi, highlighting their connections with Shola Puja and the religious traditions of Puri.

The shrine of Maa Charchika, situated within the Shree Jagannath Temple office building, houses the Goddess in her Chamunda form, along with Mahavir and Bhairava. Rath Khala, meanwhile, is traditionally associated with the construction of the grand chariots used during the annual Rath Yatra.

The principal attraction of the walk was the darshan of Durga Madhab at Narayani Temple in Dolamandap Sahi, where participants witnessed the significance of a distinctive Srikshetra tradition in which Goddess Durga is ceremonially worshipped alongside Madhab, a form associated with Lord Jagannath.

The 16-day Shodasha Puja begins on Mulashtami, during which Madhab and Goddess Jayadurga are ceremonially united for worship. Following prescribed rituals and the offering of the Agyanmala, a garland signifying divine permission, Jayadurga is brought from the Bhandaraghara and placed beside Madhab on a special seat known as the Bhadrasana.

From Ashwina Shukla Pratipada, the divine pair undertakes a daily ceremonial journey outside the Shree Jagannath Temple. Following the morning Dhupa ritual, Durga Madhab travels in a chariot-shaped Bimana, or ceremonial palanquin, to Narayani Temple amid traditional observances.

The deities receive prescribed worship and offerings at the shrine before returning to Srimandir at night following the evening rituals, including Chandana Lagi. The nine-day journey, continuing until Mahanavami, is popularly known as Shakta Gundicha or Gupta Gundicha Yatra.

In another significant stop, the participants visited Prabhuji ki Baithak near Marichikot Chhak, a historic spiritual centre associated with the Vaishnava saint Swami Vallabhacharya.

Caretaker Madhu Shri recounted the saint's visit to Puri, his scholarly engagement at the Mukti Mandap and traditions associated with his stay in Srikshetra. She also presented her poetry collection, Madhuruchi, to the Puri Heritage Walks library.

Around 20 heritage enthusiasts from Puri, Cuttack, Jatni, Jagatsinghpur, Rourkela and other parts of Odisha participated in the walk, visiting several Devi shrines and a historic spiritual centre.

The heritage initiative sought to deepen public understanding of Puri's layered cultural landscape, bringing to the fore the living traditions, sacred narratives and ritual practices that continue to shape the spiritual identity of Srikshetra.