MAA TARINI TEMPLE, GHATAGAON-ODISHA'S SPIRITUAL HERITAGE .

Odisha was known as Kalinga in 1475AD & King Purusottam Dev. was ruling Kalinga at that time. He was a great devotee of Lord Jagannath & had been celebrating car festival each year. Once King Purusottam Dev(15th century) travelled to South India while he saw Princess Padmabati,the daughter of Kanchi King. Thereafter, he sent a proposal to King Kanchi to his daughter Padmabati.Then the King sent Kalinga to his Minister to finalise the arrangement of the wedding & that was the time of car festival. Sweeping was a part the chariot where the deity wad to be placed. Unfortunately,the Kanchi Minister saw in it an act unworthy of a King & he confirmed that a sweeper-king can not be our son-in-law.Purusottam Dev infuriated & marched to Kanchi to battle with the King of Kanchi but defeated. Thereafter by the grace of Lord Jagannath & Gobinda Bhanja(Commander-in-Chief of Army) again went to Kanchi for battle & won by the mercy of Goddess Maa Tarini as she was very anxious to come Kalinga. King Purusottam Dev prayed to Maa Tarini to go Kalinga with Lord Madamohan & Raghunathjew.Thus they also came to Kalinga.

At that year,King Trilochan Bhanja died & son Gobinda Bhanja had to return to his kingdom. Gobinda Bhanja desired to bring Maa Tarini to Kendujhar & King Purusottam Dev also supported to this proposal. Then Gobinda Bhanja prayed to Maa Tarini & Maa also agreed one condition that you will not look back to see her. With this condition, Maa went to Kendujhar with Gobinda Bhanja. On the forest of Kendujhar, Maa's horsehoofs was not audible to Gobinda Bhanja. He got scared that Maa stayed behind & he turned back to look. Then Maa turned into stone.Gobinda Bhanja prayed to Maa for forgiveness but Maa said that she had made condition with him before coming. And She stayed in the wild forest & asked Gobinda Bhanja to worship in that place. Till today, Maa Tarini is being worshipped in Ghatagaon,Kendujhar,which is now a major tourist attraction in Kendujhar.