Jagannath Temple Baripada

The temple of Lord Jagannath at Baripada is universally known as Haribaldev temple. It was built by Shri Baidyanath Bhanj in 1575 A.D. on the same architectural principles of Kakharua Baidyanath temple. The temple stands as a symbol of the religious favour of the Bhanja Rulers of Mayurbhanj and is regarded as the Queen Monad among the princely states during the pre-merger days. It is made of laterite stone with exquisite designs engraved in the walls. It has a height of 84′-6″. A big boundary wall encircles the temple which is a replica of that of Lord Jagannath at Puri. An inscription on the temple wall states that in the year 1497 of the Saka Era this temple was built by Baidyanath Bhanj. This temple, like the Kakharua Baidyanath of Manatri, is provided with Vimana, Jagamohan and Nata Mandira and is in a better-preserved condition than the latter. Besides the presiding deities, there are as many as seventeen Bedha deities consecrated in the temple. The Jagannath temple compound is provided with small cells in which the images of different religions find a place.

Every year the Car festival is celebrated on the day after the day on which Car festival is celebrated at Puri. The three deities come to the Radhamohan Temple (Mausimaa Mandir) during the car festival which lasts for two days. The rituals of Baripada Rathayatra are special. It gives priority to the female devotees to pull Maa Subhadra's ratha, which is unique and attracts female devotees from the neighboring states also.