Baliharachandi temple is a beautiful place in Puri district. After about 27 kilometers, the road from Puri begins to feel deserted. You leave the crowd of people behind. The sea salt air gets stronger. All of a sudden, you spot the Baliharachandi temple sitting quietly on a sandy hill. It is not like the giant stone temples in the city. This one seems to be a part of the beach. It is situated where the Bhargavi river finally joins the vast ocean. Maa harachandi temple is the abode of the Sand Goddess, a place where the sand and the spirits co-exist. People come here because it is a secret place.
The elders narrate a story as to why the goddess is there. According to them, a very long time ago a great flood almost submerged the villages. The people prayed to the utmost of their hearts. Maa Harachandi showed up and with her divine power pushed the water back. She rescued the land. As she is the goddess of the “Bali” (sand), the place was named Baliharachandi. It is thought that she still keeps an eye on the tides. If you see the main idol, she is in the act of killing a demon, but her face is very calm. She appears to be a mother who is sheltering her children from a tempest.
One of the most fascinating things to witness at Baliharachandi temple is the rare idol of the goddess. Contrary to the many other fierce images of gods, Maa harachandi temple has been depicted with eight arms, however, her face is still very calm and maternal. The local priests of the temple take great pride in dressing her in luxurious, hand, woven silks every morning. If you are there early enough, you can see this tradition. It is a really intimate experience, like a family taking care of their own. There is an internal belief that the goddess is most potent during the “Shringar” time, and being in the quiet room while the bells are ringing is such a heavy, spiritual experience that you won’t get it in the larger, louder temples.
The geography of Baliharachandi vicinity is quite intriguing as it is always changing. The “Muhana, ” or the spot where the Bhargavi River flows into the ocean, actually changes its location depending on the moon and the tides. You can take a local fisherman for a ride in a small wooden boat to witness this. It is really stunning to see the dark river water forcefully meet the bright blue sea water.
Baliharachandi picnic spot is famous for serving one particular item, “Sada Mahaprasad.” It is not a restaurant item; the dishes are prepared as they were hundreds of years ago in clay pots over wood fires. Most tourists to the spot carry rice and dal with them and have the meal sitting under the casuarina trees on banana leaves. There are no tables or chairs, just the ground covered with sand. Eating such a simple meal and at the same time having the salt wind playing with the leaves of the trees is a very grounding experience. It seems that normally the best things in life are very simple ones.
The Baliharachandi temple comes alive during the Maha Vishuba Sankranti festival that celebrates the Odia New Year in mid April. It is at this time that the silent sand hills are packed with thousands of visitors who have come to see the rare “Pana” ritual, where the goddess is offered a cold sweet drink made of wood apple, curd, and jaggery, so that she may protect everyone from the scorching heat of the summer. The local priests will be seen conducting powerful prayers and the whole vibe is one of hope and renewal.
One more occasion when the place changes completely is during the Raja Parba festival in June. At that time Baliharachandi picnic spot turns into the venue of unlimited fun for the girls and ladies of the village. They fasten huge rope swings to the strong limbs of the old banyan and casuarina trees. You could hear them singing the traditional “Raja Doli” songs which traverse over the sand dunes and get mingled with the roaring of the sea. Since the festival is the celebration of earth’s fertility, nobody walks barefoot or digs the ground. It is a magnificent, respectful mood when the villagers manifest their affection for the land and the goddess through games, laughter, and sharing pithas(rice cakes) under the sky.
If you want to visit, come early in the morning. You can get a taxi from Puri or take a local bus to Brahmagiri. You will be walking on the sand, so it is a good idea to wear simple slippers. Do not go into the water alone as the currents are very strong and can carry you away in an instant.
