Samaleswari Temple, Sambalpur
– Legends
King Balaram Dev, builder of this temple:
Once, King Balaram Dev, first
Chauhan ruler of Sambalpur, crossed river Mahanadi and came to the right bank
with his hounds for hunting. He noticed a strange event during hunting. His
hounds instead of chasing the rabbit were chased by the rabbit itself. He was stunned
seeing the event and followed the rabbit. The rabbit went inside a huge Simili tree
on the left bank of Mahanadi and disappeared. King Balaram Dev returned to his
camp after the hunting expedition and had a strange dream at night. Goddess
Samaleswari appeared in his dreams and ordered him to construct a temple at the
foot of the Simili tree. As ordered by the goddess, he constructed the
temple and established his fort at left bank of Mahanadi.
Kalapahar invasion of Sambalpur:
As per legend, Kalapahar, a
Muslim General of Bengal Sultanate under the Karrani Dynasty invaded
Sambalpur with a huge army in 16th century CE. He camped near
Durgapali on the banks of Mahanadi River near to Samaleswari
temple. He had a huge drum made of cow hide and had huge bells. It is said
that huge sound caused from the bell by the beating of the drum made the idols to
get disintegrated. His intention was to destroy the Samaleswari
temple and the other temples in Sambalpur.
Before, he could start his
heinous crime, a beautiful milk maid with a basket of milk, curd and cheese on
her head, reached the camp of Kalapahar. She sold his items to Kalapahar and
his army. It is said that his entire army along with Kalapahar suffered from
cholera and other related diseases causing total chaos in his camp. This made
him to abandon his invasion and the plan of destroying the temples in
Sambalpur. He left Sambalpur leaving the most of his armoury, the huge drum and
the bells.
It is believed that the Goddess
Samaleswari manifested herself in the form of a milk maid and caused
devastation in the army of Kalapahar. A huge drum and a large number of bells
used to be kept at the Mukhasala of the Samaleswari
temple. It is said that a large number of tombs believed to be those of the
dead soldiers of Kalapahar are found in a mango grove near Samaleswari College
building on the banks of river Mahanadi.
Human Sacrifice:
It is said that a person named Krupasindhu
Panigrahi and his wife were buried in the foundation of the
temple during construction. It is said that the human sacrifice was offered
once in a year in ancient times. Human sacrifice was stopped following miracle
of Samaleswari with a saint from Amritsar, who became the Mahanta of Gopalji
Math later on. The practice of human sacrifice was discontinued in 17th
century and the practice of sacrificing buffalo was adopted. Even, the practice
of sacrificing the buffalo was also stopped.
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