post news network, Baligaon, April 10: It is at a stone’s throw from Bhubaneswar. It is a place that has the ability to transport you to serenity. The prevailing tranquility in the village will instantly make a devotee of you, a devotee of the Lord. And the village had been the place where the famed devotee of Lord Jagannath, Dasia Bauria, lived. The place, to the devotees of the Lord, is Dasia Bauria Peetha.
In the last few years, the temple dedicated to this famous devotee of Lord Jagannath – Bhakta Dasia – has gained in popularity mostly because of its location and tranquil ambience. Barely 33 kms from the state capital, the temple is situated in the Baligaon village. The 3-kms path from NH-203 to the village is lined with lush green paddy fields and coconut trees, besides a few shops.
Tourists heading to Puri from Bhubaneswar often come across a sign board on NH-203, installed by the state tourism department, which gives direction to reach the Dasia Bauria Peetha temple.
“Once out of curiosity, I went to the temple following the directions on a signboard on the national highway. After reaching the destination I found the place really interesting. The most attractive part of the temple complex is the prevailing tranquility. Here you can worship calmly as you do not confront much crowd on the temple complex,” said Pradeep Mohanty, a Bhubaneswar-based shopkeeper.
“Around 50-60 visitors throng the temple every day to pay tribute to the great bhatka and also to worship the different Gods who live in the temples around. We have idols of Jagannath, Subhadra, Balabhadra, Ganesha, Mahadev and others. Just outside the main temple we have a statue of the great devotee Dasia Bhakta,” says Lingaraj Panda, the priest of the temple.
The temple often organises big yagna during the Kartik Purnima. The temple complex, which is spread on a sprawling three-acre area is now a tourist attraction where people from the nearby districts come. Many people visit the temple to know more about the life of the bhakta. Some parts of the temple complex are now under construction. A new yagna room and a new temple for Ganesha and Mahadev are under construction.
Dasia Bauria is often considered a great devotee of the Lord Jagannath in the village. Many believe that the prasada prepared by him was accepted by the Lord himself. It is also said that the Lord gave darshan to the bhakta in his dream. Dasia Bauria was born in Baligaon village. He was a weaver by profession. Tulsi leaves and lotus from this village are often used in the Puri Jagannath temple for worship.
Interestingly, the temple complex has a library, which has books on mythology, social science, Bhaghwat Gita and other spiritual books including the Puranas. However, a good part of the library has been encroached upon and is used as a store room filled with cot, chairs and tables. The complex also has temporary restrooms for the devotees and the hermits.
Despite all its attractions and legacy, the site has some drawbacks, which become an impediment to the tourist inflow. The path that leads to the temple from NH-203 is not broad enough to allow entry of buses or big vehicles. Moreover, there is no public transport available from the highway to make the journey of the
visitors easy.
