Gangeswari Temple

Gangeshwari temple, Gop, Puri is also known as Mini Konark and was built before the Konark Sun Temple, Odisha in 13th century.

It is historical temple very beautiful temple very short place the village name is Bayalish bati sourounding paddy land a beautiful village with a big pond

The temple located at a very old picturesque village of Bayalish Baati near Gop (Puri district) is believed to have been built as a prototype for the majestic Konark Temple. Bayalish Baati village is around 57 KM from Bhubaneswar and 35 KM from Puri. The temple was built during the reign of the Eastern Ganga dynasty in Odisha around the 13th century AD. The presiding deity of the temple is Goddess Gangeswari, who was the Ista Devi ( family deity) of the rulers.nThe temple is built according to “Pancharatha” style of Kalingan architecture. As with any temples associated with “Shakti” in Odisha, the “deula” or the sanctum of the temple is built in Khakra style, it consists of a “Jagamohana” or the entrance porch usually used for offering prayers and other temple activities.nThe temple practiced tantrism, the enigmatic idol of Maa Gangeswari at the sanctum sanctorum and “Barahi Devi” – female form of Baraha- one of the “Saptmatrika” sucking blood from a bowl elucidates as much.nThe carving of an idol identified as ‘Muchalinda Buddha” – where a five headed serpent shields Gautam Buddha from the elements of nature after his enlightenment- on the outer walls of the temple makes for an interesting observation. According to historians, “Vajrayana Buddhism” or Tantric form of Buddhism originated in Odisha and bears much similarities with hindu tantrism and the fact that Prachi Valley was the cradle for syncretisation of Buddhism, Hinduism and Tantrism in Odisha coupled with the fact that after Adi Shankaracharya’s visit to Odisha around 10th century AD, Buddha was accepted as one of the dasavatar’s of lord Vishnu explains the presence of Lord Buddha in many temples built after 10th century AD in Odisha.nThe adjoining area near the pond located next to the temple was also believed to have been the dwelling place of chief architect Bisu Moharana and 1200 other craftsmen during their 12 year shift in building the beautiful Konark Temple.

One of the festival is pana sankranti (odia new year) observe here

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