Basudevpur: The birth anniversary of Lord Dattatreya is being observed at a 19th century shrine in Matipaka village under this block in Bhadrak district on the day of Pandu Poornima, a full moon day of the year, for centuries.
However, the temple set up in 1810 with a four-ft long idol of the deity is in a dilapidated state due to lack of proper upkeep, a report said.
According to mythology, Dattatreya, the son of Sati Anusaya and Rishi Atri, is the joint embodiment of the Hindu Trinity – Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswar. He has three heads those of the Trinity, six hands which hold the weapons of the Tridev and two legs.
Legend has it that a spiritual guru named Nrusinghagiri Maharaja from the southern part of India stopped over the place in 1810 with his disciples while he was on a pilgrimage. While spending a night here he dropped a handful of soil and named the place as Matipaka.
On the guru’s direction, his staunch follower Kalandigiri Maharaj set up a mutt in the village which now comes under Laxmidaspur panchayat.
After five years of establishment of the mutt, Nrusinghagiri picked up a four-ft high granite idol of Dattatreya from Nasik and made 12 of his disciples to carry the idol on their shoulders all the way to Matipaka to consecrate it.
After Kalindigiri, his successors Manishananda and Ganeshananda took charge of the mutt and continued the worship of Dattatreya.
“At 80, it is very difficult for me to manage the affairs of the mutt. I am in search for a young disciple who can handle the pressure,” mutt in-charge Swami Brahmananda Giri said.
The mutt, having 18 acre of landed property including the temples of Dattatreya and Lord Shiva, is in a miserable state in the absence of maintenance, he added. When asked about the daily rituals of the deity, Giri said Mohan Bhog is offered in the morning while another dish made of rice and ghee is offered during lunch.
Similarly, fruits and sweets are served to the deity in the evening. Dattatreya sits on a lotus and Garuda, the mythological king among birds, is his carrier, according to Giri.
Locals have urged the administration to take this 200-year-old shrine under its fold and take initiatives for its beautification. PNN
