Shakti Peeth
Biraja (Viraja) Shakti Peeth
Jajpur, Odisha
Set in the ancient Viraja Kshetra, where ancestral rites are also traditionally performed
At a glance
- Location
- Jajpur, Odisha
- Presiding deity
- Goddess Biraja
- Temple type
- Shakti Peeth
- Tradition
- Shakta
- Nearest railway station
- Jajpur Keonjhar Road railway station (~30 km)
- Nearest airport
- Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar (~90 km)
- Best time to visit
- October to February; the Pitru Paksha period sees especially heavy footfall for ancestral rites.
History
The Biraja temple stands on the banks of the Vaitarani river in Jajpur, Odisha, an area historically known as "Viraja Kshetra." Tradition holds that Sati's navel fell here. Like Gaya in Bihar, the region is also considered important for performing ancestral rites (shraddha), earning it the epithet "Gaya of Utkal (Odisha)."
Spiritual significance
Biraja holds a central place in Odisha's Shakta tradition, and the practice of bathing in the Vaitarani and offering rites to ancestors here dates back centuries.
Plan your visit
Darshan timings
5:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
Timings change on festivals and special occasions. Confirm with the temple's official source before you travel.
Jajpur Keonjhar Road station lies on the Bhubaneswar-Kolkata line; from there, taxis or buses cover the route to Jajpur town and the temple.
Continue your Durga bhakti
Devotional texts for this deity, already on the site.