Sri Nrusinghanath Temple
Vishnu (Nrusinghanath, a form of Narasimha) temple · Paikmal, Bargarh, Odisha, India
Photo: Sukantasarangi1 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Sri Nrusinghanath Temple is a Vishnu temple at the foot of the Gandhamardan hills near Paikmal in Bargarh district, western Odisha. The deity, Nrusinghanath, is a form of Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of Vishnu. Local legend gives him an unusual form: Marjara Keshari, the 'cat-lion'.
The shrine stands beside the Papaharini stream, which flows down from Gandhamardan, and is one of the two best-known temples of the range. The other is Harishankar, on the far side of the hills. Large numbers of pilgrims and picnickers visit, especially in the cool season.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Sri Nrusinghanath Temple
According to the legend retold in the Odisha government's Orissa Review, Vishnu came to earth to destroy Musika Daitya, a rat demon. To do this he took the form of a cat-lion, Marjara Keshari, known here as Nrusinghanath. The story belongs to local tradition and explains the deity's distinctive name and form.
Pilgrims traditionally bathe in the Papaharini (sin-removing) stream before entering the shrine, says the temple trust. Bhimdhar and Chaldhar waterfalls lie upstream within walking distance, and local belief holds that the Pandava Bhima made Bhimdhar by striking the rock with his mace.
Gandhamardan itself is known for its forests and medicinal plants. The temple trust also notes a local belief that the Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna was connected with the hill.
Heritage
History of Sri Nrusinghanath Temple
The legend in the Orissa Review places the temple's origin more than five hundred years ago. In it, two Kondh brothers, Hari and Sahadeva, lived nearby, and their wives found a stone image that bled when struck while they were digging for edible roots near the Papaharan stream. A voice then declared that this was Vishnu as Marjara Keshari, and the brothers took the news to Baijal Deva, the Chauhan king of Patna (Patnagarh). The king built a temple on the left bank of the stream and installed the deity.
The temple trust likewise dates the temple to the 15th century under King Baijal Dev. According to the Orissa Review, the Kondh community first worshipped the deity with forest fruits and roots, and in more recent times worship has been performed by an unmarried Brahmin boy appointed by the temple committee.
Under the Odisha government's 5T initiative, the temple complex had a major renovation costing an estimated Rs 23 crore, with new visitor facilities. The New Indian Express reported in December 2023 that the renovated temple was due to be unveiled in January 2024.
Architecture and sacred features
The temple is a stone shrine set among forest and springs at the base of the hills, and the trust notes carvings on its walls showing mythological scenes. The recent renovation added pilgrim amenities around the historic structure.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
The temple trust asks for traditional attire, does not allow photography inside the shrine, and sells prasad at a counter. The ghat roads can be foggy on winter mornings, and mobile coverage is patchy in the hills. Confirm current arrangements and timings with the Nrusinghanath Temple Trust before travelling.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Nrusinghanath Temple Trust (Executive Officer) (official website) before travelling. Last reviewed 5 October 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Sri Nrusinghanath Temple
Nrusingha Chaturdashi and Baisakh Mela
The appearance day of Nrusingha is the temple's main festival, marked with a grand abhisheka and a large annual fair at the foot of Gandhamardan.
Ratha Yatra
The temple trust lists a chariot festival among the temple's major events.
Nuakhai
Western Odisha's harvest festival. The first grain of the season is offered to Nrusinghanath.
Location
How to Reach Sri Nrusinghanath Temple
The temple trust lists road distances of about 30 km from Padampur, 115 km from Bargarh, 165 km from Raipur and 440 km from Bhubaneswar. Regular buses connect Paikmal with nearby districts, and local transport and taxis run from Paikmal to the temple.
Raipur in neighbouring Chhattisgarh is the nearest large city with an airport on the trust's list of routes. Travellers by rail usually continue by road from the nearest railhead.
Location: Paikmal, Bargarh, Odisha, India
Nearest airport: Raipur (Swami Vivekananda Airport), Chhattisgarh
More in Hindu temples in Odisha · Vishnu (Nrusinghanath, a form of Narasimha) temples
Questions
Sri Nrusinghanath Temple: Frequently Asked Questions
Which deity is worshipped at Nrusinghanath Temple?
The deity is Nrusinghanath, a form of Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of Vishnu. Local legend calls him Marjara Keshari, a cat-lion form taken to defeat a rat demon.
Where is Nrusinghanath Temple?
It stands at the foot of the Gandhamardan hills near Paikmal in Bargarh district, western Odisha.
Who built Nrusinghanath Temple?
Legend and the temple trust credit Baijal Deva (Baijal Dev), a Chauhan king of Patna, and date the temple to the 15th century.
What is the Papaharini stream?
It is the stream that flows from Gandhamardan past the temple. Pilgrims traditionally bathe in it before darshan.
How is Nrusinghanath connected to Harishankar?
Both temples lie at the foot of the Gandhamardan range, on opposite sides of the hills, and the Odisha government has developed them together as a pilgrimage and nature circuit.
How far is Nrusinghanath from Bargarh?
The temple trust gives about 115 km by road from Bargarh and about 30 km from Padampur.
Sources and attribution
- © OpenStreetMap contributors — location data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Wikidata Q7067539 — structured data (CC0)
- Wikipedia — Nrusinghanath Temple — text facts from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
- Information & Public Relations Department, Government of Odisha — Legends of Harisankar and Nrusinghanath, by Er. Nirakar Mahalik (Orissa Review, May 2011, pp. 45–47)
- The New Indian Express — Renovated Nrusinghanath temple to be unveiled in January (30 Dec 2023)
- The New Indian Express — Harishankar, Nrusinghnath shrines to get a facelift (2 Sep 2021)
- Nrusinghnath Temple Trust — History and Culture
- Nrusinghnath Temple Trust — Travel Guidelines
Further reading: Sri Nrusinghanath Temple on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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