| Even to this day,
the Chandana Yatra festival is performed on the third day of the Sukla paksha of Visakha,
corresponding to the Akshaya Tritiya day. On this day, the sandal paste, which covers the
image of the Lord, is removed, and the devotees can have the darshan of the Nijaswarupa of
the Lord. Since mere Darshan of the Lord in his original form bestows liberation upon the
people, thousands of pilgrims go over to the temple for this festival. The inscriptions engraved on the walls and pillars of this shrine give us a
flood of light on the vicissitudes of the temple during historical periods. There is an
inscription of 1099 A.D. of the great King Kulottungachola, who conquered the Kalinga
country. Another of the Velnati Chief, Gonka III, 1137 A. D., says that he covered the
image of the Lord with gold. There are a number of inscriptions of the Eastern Ganga kings
of Kalinga. |
