Bhagabati Temple, Banapur
Encyclopedia
The temple of the goddess Bhagabati, the presiding deity
of the India
n town Banapur
has earned celebrity as a centre of religious activities. Once Banapur was the capital of the Sailodhvaba dynasty, responsible for the construction of the early group of temples at Bhubaneswar
. The large number of Buddhist images discovered at Banapur relate the place to the Vajrayana
cult of Buddhism.
celebration. At the Banapur Bhagabati temple such strict direction from the Orissa High Court was not admitted. Due to this the Khurda district administration has imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code on the temple in order to prevent the animal killing and sacrifices in the temple premise.
It has been a tradition to serve the goddess with animal sacrifices during the Dussehra celebrations but after the Orissa High Court ruling, eight platoons of police force have been deployed at the temple in order to maintain law and order. At the same time Maa Bhagbati Parampara Surakhya Mancha, a local organization supporting the traditional rituals, has decided to protest against the district administration and declared a bandh
, including a hunger strike.
On 22 October 2010 the temple opened again after consecration by a group of Brahmin
s from Govardhana matha
, Puri
.
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
of the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n town Banapur
Banapur
Banpur is a town and a notified area council in Khordha district in the state of Orissa, India.The town is named after the King Banasura of Lord Krishna age.Banasura, a demon-king who is said to have ruled over this place. The place was under the control of a line of feudal lords, the ancestors of...
has earned celebrity as a centre of religious activities. Once Banapur was the capital of the Sailodhvaba dynasty, responsible for the construction of the early group of temples at Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar is the capital of the Indian state of Orissa, officially Odisha. The city has a long history of over 2000 years starting with Chedi dynasty who had Sisupalgarh near present-day Bhubaneswar as their capital...
. The large number of Buddhist images discovered at Banapur relate the place to the Vajrayana
Vajrayana
Vajrayāna Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Vehicle...
cult of Buddhism.
Animal Sacrifice
On 5 October 2010 the Orissa High Court has directed the state government to make sure that animal sacrifices are not conducted at the temple during the DussehraVijayadashami
Vijayadashami also known as Dasara, is one of the most important festivals celebrated in various forms, across India, Nepal and Bangladesh...
celebration. At the Banapur Bhagabati temple such strict direction from the Orissa High Court was not admitted. Due to this the Khurda district administration has imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code on the temple in order to prevent the animal killing and sacrifices in the temple premise.
It has been a tradition to serve the goddess with animal sacrifices during the Dussehra celebrations but after the Orissa High Court ruling, eight platoons of police force have been deployed at the temple in order to maintain law and order. At the same time Maa Bhagbati Parampara Surakhya Mancha, a local organization supporting the traditional rituals, has decided to protest against the district administration and declared a bandh
Bandh
Bandh , originally a Hindi word meaning 'closed', is a form of protest used by political activists in some countries like India and Nepal. During a Bandh, a political party or a community declares a general strike....
, including a hunger strike.
On 22 October 2010 the temple opened again after consecration by a group of Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
s from Govardhana matha
Govardhana matha
The Govardhana matha is located in the city of Puri in Orissa state , and is associated with the Jagannath temple. It is one of those four cardinal mathas said to have been founded by Adi Shankara, and is the eastern matha. As per the tradition initiated by Adi Shankara, it is in charge of the Rig...
, Puri
Puri
Puri is district headquarter, a city situated about south of state capital Bhubaneswar, on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian state of Orissa. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple . It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimages...
.