Sri Nilamadhava Temple ( or,
ନୀଳମାଧବଜିଉ ମନ୍ଦିର, କଣ୍ଟିଲୋ) is very old and famous Lord
Vishnu
Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
temple which is near to the bank of
Mahanadi
The Mahanadi is a major river in East Central India. It drains an area of around and has a total length of . Mahanadi is also known for the Hirakud Dam. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and finally merged with Bay o ...
, in
Kantilo
Kantilo is a census town in Nayagarh district in the Indian state of Odisha. Kantilo is from its state capital Bhubaneswar and from district headquarters Nayagarh. Kantilo is famous for bell metal utensil, but nowadays it is losing its sheen. ...
,
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
, India. It is present near to the twin hills with a surrounding forest. A permanent flow of holy water from the feet of Lord Nilamadhava is another attraction of the spot. Lord Siddheswar is also present which is another highlight of the place.
Lord Nilamadhav occupies a central position in the cult of Lord
Jagannath
Jagannath ( or, ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ, lit=Lord of the Universe, Jagannātha; formerly en, Juggernaut) is a deity worshipped in regional Hindu traditions in India and Bangladesh as part of a triad along with his brother Balabhadra, and sister ...
. Even now also Lord Nilamadhava shrine is present on the right side of
Lakshmi
Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...
temple in Puri
Jagannath
Jagannath ( or, ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ, lit=Lord of the Universe, Jagannātha; formerly en, Juggernaut) is a deity worshipped in regional Hindu traditions in India and Bangladesh as part of a triad along with his brother Balabhadra, and sister ...
Temple.
Location
Kantilo is situated near the river bank of
Mahanadi
The Mahanadi is a major river in East Central India. It drains an area of around and has a total length of . Mahanadi is also known for the Hirakud Dam. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and finally merged with Bay o ...
which comes in a block called
Khandapada
Khandapada (also spelt as Khandapara) is a town and a notified area committee in Nayagarh district in the Indian state of Odisha. It is located in the valley of nine mountains.
Geography
Khandapada is located at . It has an average elevation of ...
, in
Nayagarh District
Nayagarh district is one of the 30 districts of Odisha state in eastern India. It was created in 1st April 1993 when the erstwhile Puri District was split into three distinct districts, namely Khordha, Nayagarh and Puri.
The district is bord ...
. Nearest railway station is
Nayagarh Town
Nayagarh is both a town and the municipality headquarters of the Nayagarh district in the Indian state of Odisha.
Geography
Nayagarh is located at with an average elevation of 178 metres (584 feet).
It was the Rukhi mountain to the south a ...
and nearest airport is
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar (; ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Odisha. The region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as ''Ekamra Kshetra'' (area (''kshetra'') adorned with mango trees (''ekamra'')). Bhubaneswar is ...
. It is advisable that if you are planning to come by train its better get down at
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar (; ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Odisha. The region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as ''Ekamra Kshetra'' (area (''kshetra'') adorned with mango trees (''ekamra'')). Bhubaneswar is ...
station because from there you will get frequent buses to
Kantilo
Kantilo is a census town in Nayagarh district in the Indian state of Odisha. Kantilo is from its state capital Bhubaneswar and from district headquarters Nayagarh. Kantilo is famous for bell metal utensil, but nowadays it is losing its sheen. ...
. Roads are connected to Kantilo which offer regular bus services. It is 82 km from state capital
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar (; ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Odisha. The region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as ''Ekamra Kshetra'' (area (''kshetra'') adorned with mango trees (''ekamra'')). Bhubaneswar is ...
and 33 km from
Nayagarh
Nayagarh is both a town and the municipality headquarters of the Nayagarh district in the Indian state of Odisha.
Geography
Nayagarh is located at with an average elevation of 178 metres (584 feet).
It was the Rukhi mountain to the south a ...
District.
History
It all initiated in a small cave in the Brahmadri hills situated on the banks of
Mahanadi
The Mahanadi is a major river in East Central India. It drains an area of around and has a total length of . Mahanadi is also known for the Hirakud Dam. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and finally merged with Bay o ...
, which is known as Kantilo of
Nayagarh
Nayagarh is both a town and the municipality headquarters of the Nayagarh district in the Indian state of Odisha.
Geography
Nayagarh is located at with an average elevation of 178 metres (584 feet).
It was the Rukhi mountain to the south a ...
district today. Here, Biswabasu the local Sabara Chief worshipped Kitung, as the God was known in the Sabara dialect. According to the Puranas, the deity was originally worshipped in the form of an
Indranila gem image known as “Nilamadhava". The daru murti came much later.Located near the confluence of three rivers
Mahanadi
The Mahanadi is a major river in East Central India. It drains an area of around and has a total length of . Mahanadi is also known for the Hirakud Dam. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and finally merged with Bay o ...
, Kuanria and Kusumi. The temple structure is like the Jagannath temple of Puri. It stands on the right bank of
Mahanadi
The Mahanadi is a major river in East Central India. It drains an area of around and has a total length of . Mahanadi is also known for the Hirakud Dam. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and finally merged with Bay o ...
. It is called triveni sangam of
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
. As there is Beni-Madhava in
Prayag, so as here
Nilamadhava
Sri Nilamadhava Temple ( or, ନୀଳମାଧବଜିଉ ମନ୍ଦିର, କଣ୍ଟିଲୋ) is very old and famous Lord Vishnu temple which is near to the bank of Mahanadi, in Kantilo, Odisha, India. It is present near to the twin hi ...
.
Festivals
*Maagha saptami Festival or
Ratha Saptami
Ratha Saptami or Rathasapthami ( sa, रथसप्तमी or Magha Saptami) is a Hindu festival that falls on the seventh day (Saptami) in the bright half (''Shukla Paksha'') of the Hindu month Maagha. It is symbolically represented in th ...
is the best festival over here.
*A fair is held on the
Ekadashi
Ekadashi () is the eleventh lunar day (''tithi'') of each of the two lunar phases which occur in an Vedic calendar month - the '' Shukla Pakṣa'' (the period of the brightening moon also known as the waxing phase) and the ''Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa ...
of the month of
Maagha
Maagha (Hindi: माघ ''maagh'') is a month of the Hindu calendar. In India's national civil calendar, it's the eleventh month of the year, corresponding to January/February in the Gregorian calendar.Henderson, Helene. (Ed.) (2005) ''Holida ...
* A special feastival on 'PAUSA PURNIMA' . On this occasion, Lord Neelamadhab is decorated with gold ornaments.
See also
*
Jagannath
Jagannath ( or, ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ, lit=Lord of the Universe, Jagannātha; formerly en, Juggernaut) is a deity worshipped in regional Hindu traditions in India and Bangladesh as part of a triad along with his brother Balabhadra, and sister ...
*
Madhava (Vishnu)
Madhava ( sa, माधव, Mādhava) is one of the primary epithets of Vishnu and his avatar Krishna. The word ''Mādhava'' in Sanskrit is a ''vṛddhi'' derivation of the word ''Madhu'' ( sa, मधु), which means honey. It is a title of Krish ...
References
information regarding the blue hued lordimage of the templereports on archaeological survey
Hindu temples in Nayagarh district
Vishnu temples
Archaeological monuments in Odisha
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