Kalika Purana
Lists 4 Adi Shakti Pithas — Sati's breasts fell on Kumari Hill on the bank of the Rushikulya; Tara Tarini = Stana Khanda
Brahmapur · Odisha
Sri Maa Tara Tarini Temple
Sri Maa Tara Tarini Temple — Kumari Hill, Purushottampur, Ganjam District, Brahmapur (Berhampur)
Tara Tarini — the twin Devi (yugala); the stana (breast) form of Adi Shakti; Tara (the deliverer) and Tarini (she who takes across)
अन्य नाम: Tara-Tarini · Stana Pitha · Yugala Devi (Twin Deity) · Ista Devi of Ganjam · Kumari Devi
- 4 Adi Shakti Pithas
- 51/52 Shakti Pithas tradition
- Tara form among the 10 Mahavidyas
- Historic site of Buddhist tantric…
इस मन्दिर की विशेषता
- 4 Adi Shakti Pithas (Kalika Purana / Devi Bhagavata) — Stana Khanda; verse: 'Vimala Pada Khandancha, Stana Khandancha Tarini | Kamakhya Yoni Khandancha, Mukha Khandancha Kalika.' The other 3: Vimala (Puri — feet), Kamakhya (Guwahati — yoni), Kalika (Kolkata — face)
- 51/52 Shakti Pithas tradition — principal Stana Pitha of mainland India
- Tara form among the 10 Mahavidyas (Nila-Saraswati / Ugra-Tara tradition)
- Historic site of Buddhist tantric Green Tara worship as well — part of the coastal-Odisha Tara corridor along with Salihundam
01
मूल विग्रह
मुख्य देव एवं स्वरूप
Sri Maa Tara Tarini — unique twin Devi (yugala-Devi); the sanctum holds two stone faces — Tara (left) and Tarini (right) — adorned with gold and silver ornaments; two brass Chalanti Pratima (movable images) stand between them; a small Buddha murti also occupies the sanctum (Mahayana-tantric layer)
Two breast-form faces (twin idol); two brass Chalanti Pratima in between; a Buddha murti within the sanctum (the Buddhist-Shakta syncretism layer)
सम्प्रदाय: Shakta Tantra Pitha — a notably recognised tantra-sadhaka seat; historically syncretic with the Mahayana Buddhist Tara worship
02
स्थल-पुराण
कथा, इतिहास एवं महत्व
Devi Bhagavata Purana
Verse: 'Vimala Pada Khandancha, Stana Khandancha Tarini | Kamakhya Yoni Khandancha, Mukha Khandancha Kalika.' — 4 Adi Pithas list
Pithanirnaya Tantra
Lists Tara Tarini as the principal Stana Pitha in the 51/52 Shakti Pithas tradition
Brahmanda Purana
Included in the 52 Shakti Pithas enumeration
Devi Mahatmyam (Durga Saptashati)
Markandeya Purana chapters 81-93 — 700 verses; the principal Chandi-yajna and Chandi-paath text recited at the temple
संत एवं परम्परा
- Vasu (Basu) Praharaj (17th century) — a learned, childless Brahmin to whom the Devi appeared as his foster twin-daughters in a vision; revealed her divine form on the hilltop and instructed him to perform the rebuilding yajna
- Adi Shankaracharya (8th century; regional tradition) — credited with rediscovering and re-consecrating the shrine after Buddhist tantric custody; the Buddha murti still stands inside the garbhagriha
- Maharshi Vasishtha (Tara-sadhana lineage) — Vasishtha as the first sadhaka of Devi Tara in the Vasishtha-Tara / Nila-Saraswati tradition; Odisha regional sources link this Tara stream to Kumari Hill
- Tara Tarini Development Board (Government of Odisha) — modern-era managers; under the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Southern Division, Berhampur)
ऐतिहासिक घटनाक्रम
- -2603rd century BCE — Emperor Ashoka's Jaugada Rock Edict (4 km from the temple) — direct evidence of the region's antiquity — taratarini.nic.in (official NIC)
- 8008th century (regional tradition) — Adi Shankaracharya re-consecrated the shrine after Buddhist tantric custody; the Buddha murti is preserved in the sanctum — hinduscriptures.com
- 165017th century — the learned Brahmin Vasu Praharaj rebuilt the shrine after a divine vision and performed the rebuilding yajna; the present stone structure developed — taratarini.nic.in + hinduscriptures.com
03
नित्य उपासना
दर्शन समय एवं आरती
06:00 से 21:00 तक · मध्याह्न विश्राम 12:35-14:15 (Pahada — afternoon rest)
Majana (deity bath)05:05
First bath of the deity
Mangala Alati + Pahili Bhog06:15
First aarti of the day + first bhog
Raja Bhog12:15
Midday bhog
Pahada (rest)12:35-14:15
Sanctum closed
Evening Majana (re-bath)17:15
Sandhya Alati18:15
Principal evening aarti
Bhog and Pahada (sleep)21:45
Closing service of the day; sanctum closed
04
दर्शन
दर्शन के प्रकार
General Free Darshanनिःशुल्क
Queue darshan; no admission ticket.
Khichudi Bhog packet₹7
Official price ₹7 per packet (beware of any higher quote).
Mundan / tonsure seva (Chaitra Tuesdays)
~750 barbers stationed by the Tara Tarini Development Board; use only the official barbers.
Sankranti special abhishek and Chandi Yajna
Sankalpa-puja bookings via the Odisha Endowments / Tara Tarini Development Board.
Ropeway (inclined rope car)₹15
4 cabins; capacity ~150 devotees per hour; official NIC fare ₹15 return (current operator fares may differ). Operator: Ropeway Resorts Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata.
05
उत्सव
प्रमुख पर्व एवं उत्सव
Chaitra Parba / Chaitra Jatra — month-long mela (flagship festival)All Tuesdays of Chaitra month (2026: 4 March - 2 April)
The temple's flagship annual festival — all Tuesdays of Chaitra; the principal time for the mundan samskara; ~750 barbers stationed; extended hours ~05:00 AM - 11:00 PM. 2026 Chaitra Tuesdays (4 Tuesdays — no panch-mangal this year): 10 March (Pahili Mangalbar), 17 March (2nd), 24 March (Boda Mangalbar — the grandest day), 31 March (Shesha Mangalbar).
Chaitra (Vasanta) NavaratriChaitra Shukla Pratipada-Navami
Nine-day Devi worship; Ghatasthapana on 19 March 2026; culminating on Ram Navami 27 March 2026. Overlaps with the Chaitra Parba.
Maha Vishuba Sankranti / Pana Sankranti (Odia New Year)Mesha Sankranti
The principal Sankranti festival marking Odia New Year. 2026 — Tuesday 14 April.
Sharadiya / Maha NavaratriAshvin Shukla Pratipada-Dashami
Nine-night festival; Chandi-paath and Chandi-yajna. 2026 Ghatasthapana — Sunday 11 October; Vijayadashami — Tuesday 20 October.
Sankranti Mela (every Sankranti)First day of every Hindu solar month
Especially auspicious for tantric sadhakas; monthly abhishek and special puja
Other major festivals (NIC-listed)Year-round
Dola Purnima (Feb/Mar); Basantika Parba (Mar/Apr); Chitalagi Amabasya / Shravan Amabasya (Jul/Aug); Gamha Purnima (Jul/Aug); Saptapuri Amabasya (Aug); Saradiya Parba (Sep/Oct); Dipabali / Shyamakali Puja (Oct/Nov)
06
आस्था
मनोकामना एवं फल
The principal site for mundan samskara on Chaitra Tuesdays; the Devi's grace for the child's well-being
स्रोत: Sthala tradition (taratarini.nic.in)
Tara Tarini is a Siddha-tantra-pitha; the Tara form among the 10 Mahavidyas; a principal site of the Nila-Saraswati / Ugra-Tara tradition
स्रोत: Tara Tantra tradition + Vasishtha-Tara lineage
The Stana Khanda among the 4 Adi Shakti Pithas declared by the Kalika Purana — an essential pitha of the east-coast Devi yatra; the other 3: Vimala (Puri), Kamakhya (Guwahati), Kalika (Kolkata)
स्रोत: Kalika Purana + Devi Bhagavata Purana
Buddha murti in the sanctum + Green Tara mantra — a Hindu-Buddhist convergence site; principal tirtha of the coastal-Odisha Tara corridor (including Salihundam)
स्रोत: Mahayana tantra + regional tradition
The Devi appeared to Vasu Praharaj as his foster twin-daughters — for progeny-wishes and twin-daughter sankalpa
स्रोत: Sthala tradition (Vasu Praharaj narrative)
07
जप
मन्त्र एवं स्तोत्र
- Tara Mahavidya Ekakshari Beeja MantraOm Treem — the foundational seed mantra of Devi Tara; second of the 10 Mahavidyas
- Tri-akshari Tara MantraOm Hum Streem Hum
- Chaturakshari Tara MantraOm Hreem Hreem Streem Hum
- Panchakshari Tara MantraOm Hreem Treem Hum Phat
- Green Tara (Hindi: Harit Tara) Mahayana MantraOm Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha
- Durga Saptashati (Devi Mahatmyam)The temple's principal Chandi-yajna and Chandi-paath text; recited during Navaratri and on Chaitra Tuesdays
08
तीर्थाटन
समीप के तीर्थ एवं परिपथ
Jaugada Ashokan Rock Edict4 किमी
Mauryan era (3rd century BCE); Emperor Ashoka's 4th Rock Edict; direct evidence of the region's antiquity
Gopalpur-on-Sea Beach37 किमी
Famous beach on the Bay of Bengal; commonly combined with the Tara Tarini yatra
Jagannath Dham, Puri (with Vimala Devi)140 किमी
Vimala Devi (Pada Khanda) is one of the 4 Adi Shakti Pithas; the next tirtha of the 4-Pitha yatra
Taptapani Hot Springs80 किमी
Medicinal sulphur water spring
Bhanjanagar70 किमी
Gateway to Daringbadi and western Ganjam
Salihundam Buddhist Site120 किमी
Theravada/Mahayana/Vajrayana site (2nd century BCE - 12th century CE); the Tara murti excavated at Salihundam is direct evidence of the coastal-Odisha Tara corridor
Jirang / Chandragiri Tibetan Buddhist Monastery110 किमी
Modern Tibetan refugee settlement
Stana Khanda — east-coast sequence: Kalighat (Mukha — Kolkata) → Kamakhya (Yoni — Guwahati) → Vimala (Pada — Puri) → Tara Tarini (Stana — Ganjam); 7-9 day yatra
4 मंदिर · 9 दिन
Principal Stana Pitha of mainland India
52 मंदिर
Tara Tarini → Vimala (Puri) → Bhairavi Pitha (Jajpur) → Maa Tarini Ghatagaon (Keonjhar) → Dakshineswar / Kalighat (Kolkata) → Tarapith (Birbhum, WB) → Kamakhya — the classical eastern-India Devi yatra ring
7 मंदिर
Inner-Odisha Devi quartet promoted by Odisha Tourism
4 मंदिर
Tara Tarini (Hindu-Shakta + Buddhist Tara syncretism) → Salihundam (Buddhist Tara murti) → Ratnagiri / Udayagiri / Lalitgiri (Odisha Buddhist triangle)
5 मंदिर
09
मार्गदर्शन
यात्रा एवं संपर्क
- पता
- Sri Maa Tara Tarini Temple, Taratarini Hills B.O., Purushottampur, Ganjam District — 761018, Odisha
- हवाई अड्डा
- Biju Patnaik International Airport (BBI, Bhubaneswar) — ~160-174 km
- रेलवे
- Brahmapur (Berhampur) Railway Station (BAM) — ~30-32 km
- बस-स्टैण्ड
- Berhampur Bus Stand — ~30 km; Odisha state-transport and private buses available
- उत्तम ऋतु
- October-March is best; Chaitra Parba (4 March - 2 April 2026) is the flagship mela; Sharadiya Navaratri (11-20 October 2026); Pana Sankranti (14 April 2026); summer (May-June) hilltop temperatures are tolerable but daytime city temperatures exceed 38°C
- हेल्पलाइन
- 06811-275141 (Tara Tarini Hills B.O.)
- वेबसाइट
- https://taratarini.nic.in/ ↗
32 किमीBerhampur Railway Station
174 किमीBhubaneswar
130 किमीBhubaneswar City
140 किमीJagannath Puri
37 किमीGopalpur-on-Sea Beach
80 किमीTaptapani Hot Springs
70 किमीBhanjanagar
120 किमीSalihundam
140 किमीVimala Devi
4 किमीJaugada Ashokan Rock Edict