- Vishnu
Balaram Jew Temple
- Erabang,Orissa
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Overview
The Balarama Dasa Gadi at Erabang, Orissa, which is also known as the Balaram Jew Temple. This is one of fifty asramas surveyed by Jayashankar Naik, esteemed research scholar at Utkal University in Bhubaneswar, in 'Archaeological Vestiges of Monasteries in the Prachi Valley, Odisha'.
About The Temple
Inside the matha, a pidha temple of impoverished kalingan order, facing east, consists of a square vimana, a rectangular jagamohana, a R.C.C mandapa and a detached snana mandapas on the north-eastern side. The temple measures 22.30 m x 5.60 m x 6.80 m in length, width and approximate height respectively. The pidha vimana and jagamohana of the temple has seven and four tier pidha, respectively, and finally the mastaka on the top The temple is devoid of any decoration except the dopichhasimhas and deulacharinis over the beki of the vimana and the frontal wall of the lion's gateway, which is decorated with animals, peacocks and nayika figures.
About The Deity
Inside the sanctum, the presiding Deities are Lord Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra, carved of neem wood with a pravabali of black chlorite stone of 75 cm in height in the back. The other deities residing here are Sudarsana, Narasimha, Madana Mohana, Dolagovinda, Laxmi and Sarasvati made of brass, placed over a moulded stone pedestal measuring 2.40 m (l) x 1.45 m (w) x 1.00 m (h)
Legend and Stories
Tradition ascribed that the temple was built by Balaram Das, one of the panchasakha poets who used to go to Puri every day to worship Lord Jagannatha. Once the Lord in a dream directed him to take his chalanti pratima and install it in the present temple for worship. Rituals such as jhulanajatra, chandanajatra, janmastami, kartikapurnima, netrautsava, rakhipurnima, etc. are observed here. Earlier the Nebala Das matha of Puri maintained this temple, but presently the village temple committee under the presidentship of Parsu Das is managing the temple and the matha.
Accessibility
Puri does not have an airport. Nearest airport is Bhubaneswar Airport. One can easily get regular trains to Puri from other major cities of the country. There are regular buses from other major cities of the country to Puri.
Temple Address
Balaram Jew Temple,
Erabang, Orissa
Significance
Devotees visit this temple to seek fulfillment of the following:-
- Fame
- Freedom from diseases
- Wealth
- Courage
- Relief from adverse effects from bad planetary aspects
- Relief from bondage
Shlokas
Achutham Keyshavam Rama Narayanam Krishna Damodaram Vasudevam Harim Shridharam Madhavam Gopika Vallabham Janaki Nayakam Ramachandram Bhajey
Meaning -Oh Lord who cannot be perished, who also has names like Keshava, Rama, Damodara, Narayana, Sridhara, Madhava, Krishna, Ramachandra the beloved of Janaki, let me say your name regularly.
Vasudeva Sutham Devam Kamsa Chanoora Mardhanam Devaki Paramanandham Krishnam Vande Jagathgurum
Meaning -I bow to you O Krishna, the ultimate guru, Devaki and Vasudeva's son, and the destroyer of Kamsa and Chanur.
Adharam Madhuram Vadanam Madhuram Nayanam Madhuram Hasitam Madhuram Hridayam Madhuram Gamanam Madhuram Mathuraa Dhipate Rakhilam Madhuram
Meaning -Meaning - Sweet are Your lips, sweet is Your face, sweet are Your eyes, sweet is Your smile, sweet is Your heart, sweet is Your gait, O Lord of Mathura, everything about You is sweet.
Alokya Mathur Mukha Madarena Sthanyam Pibantham Saraseeruhaksham Sachinmayam Devam Anantha Roopam Balam Mukundam Manasa Smarami
Meaning -I think of this Balamukundan as the one who looks lovingly at his mother's face while taking milk from her, who has eyes similar to the red lotus, who is the embodiment of truth and intelligence and other forms.