Bhubaneswar: Floodwater from the Mahanadi River has entered the floor of the Goddess Bhattarika temple in Baramba, Cuttack district, following the opening of the Hirakud Dam gates.
Temple servitors and Endowment department officials are closely monitoring the situation. As the water level rises, the deity will be shifted to the Rosha Ghara (kitchen) located on the adjacent Ratnagiri hill, where daily rituals will be conducted until the floodwater recedes.
The Endowment Department has advised devotees to avoid visiting the temple during the flood situation. This is not the first time the temple has faced flooding, as the water level at Naraj in Cuttack continues to rise after the release of excess water from the Hirakud dam.
The temple’s location on the bank of the Mahanadi River makes it prone to flooding, and the deity’s relocation to the Rosha Ghara is a regular practice during such situations. Necessary arrangements are being made to shift the idol, ornaments, furniture, and other ritual-associated articles to the safer location.
