Sambalpur, Oct 14: Sambalpur City witnessed a massive congregation of devotees at the Samaleswari Temple as they flocked to catch a glimpse of the 'Dhabalamukhi Besha' of Goddess Samaleswari, the divine deity of the undivided Sambalpur district for Mahalaya.
Throughout the year, Goddess Samaleswari adorns herself in a red ensemble, except on the auspicious occasion of Mahalaya when she transitions into white attire, known as the 'Dhabalamukhi Besha,' also referred to as 'Ganga Darshan.' It is believed that witnessing the Goddess in this divine attire is akin to purifying oneself with a holy dip in the sacred Ganga River.
Devotees were granted the opportunity to have the divine darshan of the Goddess from 6 am to 7.30 pm. The preparations for this sacred 'Besha' commenced at midnight, and the temple doors swung open at 5.30 am, allowing devotees to partake in the divine experience. Devotees eagerly queued up since the early morning, filled with devotion, eagerly awaiting their chance to behold the Goddess.
During the Navaratra festival, Maa Samaleswari is adorned in various Beshas, such as Sailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kusumanda, Skandhamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagouri, and Raja Rajeswari. These nine days witness a significant influx of devotees from Odisha and neighboring states at the temple.
