Maheswari Temple is a delightful shrine located at
Athamallick, in
Angul District,
Orissa. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Maa
Maheswari, the deity of courage and victory. The idol of the goddess is made of gold and other valuable Asthadhatu. The unique feature of the idol is that it has 11 hands out of which one emerges out from the belly of the idol.
It is believed that the worship of Maa Maheswari is related to the age of Treta Yuga, during which Lord Ram had worshiped the divine Mother in his hard days of forest exile.
The currently standing temple in eastern side of Athamallick town was built in 1922. The architectural design of the temple confirms it to the Kalingan style. Most noteworthy feature of the construction is that first ray of the rising sun reflects on the Dadhinauti of the temple.
Major festivals celebrated here include Dola Utsav in Phalguna (March), Nabapatrika Puja in Chaitra (April-May), Machhabindha in Baisakha (May) and Sola Puja in Aswina (September-October).
