Kakatpur Mangala Temple

Temple architecture & Cult

The temple is built in typical Kalinga style and is a major pilgrimage for devotees of Shakti cult. Pilgrims frequent the temple seeking boons from Maa Mangala. There is a bed made of solid stone on which it is said Maa Mangala rests after touring the entire universe every day. As if to attest to this, the bed looks worn out in just the same way it would if it were in use for centuries.

Legend

Evolution of the name of the deity as 'Kakatpur Mangala' hails from a legend believed by the locals of Kakatpur village. Goddess Managla kept herself hidden under the deep water of river Prachi. Once a boatman was sailing his boat across river Prachi. At that time the river was outpouring and flooded so he was unable to sail his boat to the middle of the river. He spent whole day and night but not able to sail his boat and during early morning, before the dawn, Goddess Mangala came in his dream and asked him to recover her from the water and to establish her in nearby Mangalapur village. The boatman dived into the water and able to find the deity from the bed of the river. Then as per the direction of the Goddess he established the figure of the deity in a temple in Mangalapur village. After this the boatman saw a black crow dived into the water and did not come out of the water for hours and days, the crow detained inside the water of river Prachi exactly in the same place from where he recovered the figure of Goddess Mangala. In local oriya language 'Crow' means 'Kaka' and 'Detained' means 'Atka'. So by combining the two words it becomes 'Kaka-Atka', so during the course of time the Mangalapur village is known as 'Kakata' (Kaka-Atka) pur and the Goddess is known as Kakatpur Mangala. That time before 500years ago Local Jamindar Roychudamoni family has made the mandir at Kakatpur with all the Sebak arrangement. This Mandir was Made by Panchanan Mitra(Roychudamoni) on 1548A:D. This goddess is very famous with all the qualities of peace, power, happiness, love, purity, knowledge & truth.

Association with Lord Jagannath

Every twelve years when the Idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are replaced during the Nabakalevara rite, Priests of the temple in Puri pray to Maa Mangala in the Kakatpur temple to give them divine guidance. The goddess appears in their dreams and reveals the location of the three divine Daru Bramha trees from which idols of the deities are made "Maa Sarba Mangala" A book which contains real story of Maa Mangala and the spiritual connection between the Goddess and lord Jagannath (Puri). The 'Bhaktas' who really want to acquire knowledge on lord Jagannath and Goddess Maa Sarba Mangala must read the book which is written by Raghunandan Panda, Sebak of Maa Sarba Mangala. He was a teacher and belongs to Kakatpur. He has spent almost 25 years from his busy schedule in doing research on Kakatpur Mangala. He has shared all his experience in the form of his book which will enlighten the whole story. The book is available only in Kakatpur.