Samaleshwari Temple is a Hindu temple in Sambalpur, Odisha, India, dedicated to the goddess known as 'Samaleshwari', also known as Samalei Maa, meaning Mata Samaleswari. After Bhagwan Jagannath, she is the only devi in Odisha who is the presiding deity of such a large area including entire western Odisha, Jharkhand and parts of Chhattisgarh. Maa Samleshwari Temple is situated on the reservoir of Mahanadi, Sambalpur district, Odisha, it is a famous Shakti Peetha.
Who is Devi Samaleshwari?
Maa Samaleshwari is a form of Devi Durga. The devi is known as 'Sri Sri Samalai Devi' or 'Maa Samalai'. The idol of Maa Samlai is made of granite rock. The idol of Samalai Devi consists of a large block of granite rock with an inverted, trunk-like projection at its bottom. The idol of the devi inspires sublime feelings of awe, reverence, devotion, love and affection towards the all-pervading motherhood. Devi Samaleshwari has been worshiped since ancient times as Jagatjanani, Adishakti, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati.
Legends of Samaleshwari Devi
There are many legends about the place, which can be heard from the local people or worshippers. The temple was actually built under the Simuli tree in the middle of the 16th century AD by King Balaram Dev of the Chauhan dynasty. But the temple was rebuilt by Chhatra Sai Dev, the 7th independent king of Sambalpur, between 1657 to 1665 AD. Since the temple was built under a simuli tree, the goddess was named Samalei.
Major festivals of Samaleshwari Devi:
Another name of Mata Samaleshwari is Samali Gudi. Nuakhai and Navratri are the major festivals of Samlei Gudi. A total of 112 places are worshiped in the temple complex on the days of festivals like Nuakhai. More than one lakh devotees get darshan of the holy devi of Dhablamukhi Besha at Mahalaya. It is believed that by visiting the Dhabalmukhi Samaleshwari temple one gets the boon of Ganga darshan. That's why it is known as Ganga Darshan Besh.
What is Samaleshwari temple darshan timings?
6 am - 11:30 am, 3 pm - 7:30 pm, every Tuesday and Saturday is visited by a large number of devotees and tourists from different parts of the country.
How To Reach Samaleshwari Temple
Sambalpur is located at a distance of 320 km from Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha. It is well connected to almost all important places in India by both rail and bus.
6 AM - 7:30 PM
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