Bhubaneswar: The floodwaters of the Mahanadi River have reached the premises of the revered Maa Bhattarika Temple in Baramba in Cuttack district, following the opening of gates at the Hirakud Dam. Although the water has entered the temple premises, it has not yet flooded the deity.
The water level has been rising since yesterday, and authorities expect it to take some more time to reach the Goddess. As a precautionary measure, arrangements have been made to shift the Goddess to the kitchen complex near the temple if the floodwaters enter the sanctum.
If the floodwaters enter the sanctum sanctorum of the Maa Bhattarika Temple, the presiding deity, Goddess Bhattarika, along with her ornaments, furniture, and other ritual articles, will be relocated to the Rosha Ghara, a sanctified kitchen room within the temple complex situated on the pedestal of Ratnagiri hill, serving as a temporary shelter, said a priest.
The temple authorities and Endowment Department have made necessary arrangements to shift the idol and ensure the continuity of worship and rituals
The Endowment Department has taken extensive measures to ensure uninterrupted worship and rituals, with temple servitors and authorities remaining on high alert. The department is working to maintain the sanctity and continuity of temple proceedings.
