Sambalpur: Samaleswari Temple’s Navratri Festival to Shine Brighter After 3-Years of Struggle

Sambalpur: The much-awaited Basantika Navratri Puja is set to begin today at the Samleswari Temple. During this festival, devotees will light Jagar lamps before various deities. However, after a gap of 3 long years, worshippers will finally be able to light the sacred Jagar lamp in a permanent lamp house within the temple premises.

Two large halls have been constructed as part of the Samlei renovation project, specifically designed to serve as permanent Jagar lamp houses. These halls will be used for the lighting of Jagar lamps during the festival. Both devotees and temple staff have faced unprecedented difficulties in conducting the Jagar lamp-lighting ritual since the Samlei project began.

Before the renovation, a two-story vog house within the temple compound was used as the lamp house. This massive structure, built at a cost of crores of rupees, was demolished less than 10 years after its construction to make way for the Samlei project.

With the vog house gone, serious challenges arose during the Basantika Navaratri and Dashara Navaratri festivals. A temporary tent had to be set up on the ground floor of the old Trust Board office building for Jagar. This makeshift arrangement caused a lot of inconvenience for both devotees and temple staff.

However, the Samlei project has now provided a permanent solution with the construction of the two large Jagar lamp house halls adjacent to the Badabazar side gates of the temple. For the first time, preparations have been completed for lighting Jagar lamps in both these halls, starting from today’s Navratri Puja. Each hall has the capacity to accommodate more than 7,000 lamps, ensuring a grand and authentic celebration.

After years of struggle and temporary arrangements, the Samleswari Temple is finally ready to host the traditional Navratri festival in all its glory, with the permanent lamp houses serving as a light of hope and devotion for worshippers.