Biraja Jajpur
विरजा देवी — जाजपुर, ओडिशा
One of the eighteen Maha Shakti Peethas — where the navel (nabhi) of Sati fell, on the bank of the Vaitarani; the Viraja Kshetra, revered both as a Devi seat and a place of shraddha for the ancestors.
Biraja of the Vaitarani विरजा
At Jajpur — the ancient Viraja Kshetra on the Vaitarani river — the navel of Sati fell, and there the Mother abides as Biraja. She is shown as a graceful two-armed Durga, one foot on the buffalo-demon and a spear in hand — gentle yet victorious.
A place of shraddha
Because the navel fell here, Jajpur is a great nabhi-gaya — a tirtha where rites for the departed are performed, second only to Gaya in this tradition.
The Viraja Kshetra
Once a capital of ancient Kalinga/Odisha, Jajpur is dotted with shrines; Biraja is its presiding Mother, worshipped for ages on the sacred Vaitarani.
Where the navel fell कथा
As Shiva bore Sati across the worlds and Vishnu's chakra divided her, her navel came to rest at Jajpur on the Vaitarani. There the Mother took her seat as Biraja, and the place became one of the eighteen Maha Peethas and a revered tirtha for the ancestors.
So Jajpur holds a double grace: the living Mother Biraja, and the sacred waters where the departed are given peace.
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥
namas-tasyai namas-tasyai namas-tasyai namo namaḥ ॥
Seva at the sanctum पूजा
Biraja is served through the day; the shrine is thronged during Navratri. Timings shift a little with the season — confirm locally.
| Seva / Aarti | Approx. time |
|---|---|
| Mangala Aarti | Early morning |
| Nitya puja & bhog | Morning to afternoon |
| Sandhya Aarti | Evening |
| Special seva | Navratri |
Offerings
Chunari, sindoor, coconut, flowers and sweets to Biraja; pilgrims also perform shraddha rites for the ancestors on the Vaitarani.
The two-armed Durga
Unlike her many-armed forms elsewhere, Biraja is enshrined as a serene two-armed Mahishamardini — a distinctive and ancient image.
Festivals पर्व
Sharad Navratri & Durga Puja
Sixteen days of special worship of Biraja — the grandest season at Jajpur.
Chaitra Navratri
The spring nine-nights of the Mother.
Ancestral rites season
Pilgrims gather on the Vaitarani for shraddha and the Mother's darshan.
Kali Puja
A night of Shakta worship in the Viraja Kshetra.
Yatra guide यात्रा
✈️ By Air
Bhubaneswar airport is ~90 km.
🚉 By Train
Jajpur–Keonjhar Road is the nearest railhead; Cuttack is a larger junction.
🚗 By Road
On NH-16; ~120 km from Bhubaneswar, easily reached by road.
🗓️ Best time
Navratri and Durga Puja are grand; winter is pleasant for a fuller Odisha yatra.
🛕 Nearby
The Vaitarani ghats, the ancient shrines of Viraja Kshetra, and Ratnagiri–Udayagiri Buddhist sites.
🙏 Note
Jajpur is a traditional place for ancestral rites — priests assist pilgrims performing shraddha.