Team News Riveting
Bhubaneswar, April 25
Coal India Limited (CIL)’s arm Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) had sanctioned a sum of Rs 9.32 crore for the development of Odisha’s historic Maa Hingula temple located in Talcher.
The company aid would come from the corporate social responsibility (CSR) head. The initiative was taken by Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. “I have been informed that MCL Board has approved sanction of Rs 9.32 crore under their CSR Fund for construction of certain facilities at Gopalprasad, Talcher, Angul, Odisha, for benefit of the local population in general and for providing impetus to tourism in the area in particular,” Pradhan said.
The Union Minister added, “MCL has a special bond with the Maa Hingula Temple in Gopalprasad. I was touched to know about the generosity of MCL employees, who voluntarily contributed funds from their salary towards the construction of the main temple building.”
The temple in fact has a deep and historic association with coal and fire. Of the fifty-two portions of the body of Sati that were chopped off by Sudarsan Chakra that fell at 52 places and all became sacred places known as ‘Shakti Pitha’, Satis Brahma randhra (source of energy) fell at Hingula.
It is believed that Devi Hingula was initially in Balochistan that was part of undivided India and now in Pakistan. She was worshipped by King Nala who ruled Vidarbha (presently Maharashtra). The deity also came with him from Pakistan to Vidarbha.
Lord Jagannath temple was built by King Chodaganga Deva who ruled Orissa for 72 years from 1078-1147 A.D. It was gigantic in conception and majestic in construction with the best example of Odisha’s architecture. The kitchen of Lord Jagannath is unique in the world which is called the world’s greatest hotel.
Daily 64 pauti’s Bhoga (Mahaprasad) are offered which can feed 10,000 persons comfortably in a day. According to the legend, the queen of Puri thought of offering 64 pauti’s Bhoga to Lord Jagannath and sought the permission of lord. Lord Jagannath ordered the King in dream to worship Maa Hingula for managing the unique kitchen.
The King of Puri went to Vidarbha and sought the help of King Nala to bring Devi Hingula to Puri. The Nala Raja on the request of Puri Raja brought the Goddess on his wrapper in the form of fire and in course of his journey that passed through Chhattisgarh, Sambalpur and Talcher reached at Gopalgarh where he took rest as it became dark. The Goddess told Raja in his dream that Gopalgarh will be Her ‘Puja Pitha’ and since 1575 Maa has been worshipped here through the Hingula yatra.
Goddess Hingula is believed to be the agni (fire) in the Kitchen of Lord Jagannath at Shree Mandir Puri. Every year on Bishnu Damanak Chaturdashi (Chaitra Sukla Chaturdashi), the Goddess gives darshan to Her devotees in a state of burning fire at a spot near Hingula temple in Gopal Prasad.
On Sukla Chaturdashi of Chaitra month the Goddess takes leave from Sri mandir kitchen and gives ‘darshan’ to devotees here in the form of burning fire. Before some days of the Chaturdashi, Maa appears near the temple and informs the chief ‘Dehury’ about the location of the burning spot which is kept surrounded with heaps of coal till the yatra.
