Jajpur

Jajpur or Jajpore is a small town located in the Jajpur district in Orissa. It is situated on the banks of the Vaitarani River. One half of the city is surrounded by the Vaitarani River, while the other half is surrounded by a high level canal. In ancient times, during the rule of the Kesari Dynasty, this town was the capital of Orissa. Later on it was replaced by Cuttack. Jajpur should not be confused with Jajpur Road, which is another small town in Jajpur District.

Jajpur near Puri is considered as one of the major pilgrimage spots of Orissa. This is primarily because one can find the temples of different gods and goddesses over here. The most famous shrine of the town is that of Goddess Viraja or Durga. It is for this reason that Jajpur is also known as Viraja Khetra. Goddess Viraja is the goddess of 'shakti' or power and is the main deity of this place. Another temple that is worth visiting over here is the Temple of Sweta Varaha or white boar. The white boar is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and hence as one can understand this temple is dedicated to him. Apart from this, you can also check out the Sapta Matruka shrine and other temples in this popular excursion spot.

When going for excursions to this place, you can also check out the 'Dasavamedha Ghat', located o the banks of the Vaitarani River. This place is of great religious significance to the Hindus. Jajpur is a sacred place for the Hindus. It is over that the Hindus pay respect to their ancestors by offering pinda.

Getting to Jajpur is possible by train or by road. The nearest railway station is located on the Jajpur-Keonjhar Road. One has to take a train traveling on the Howrah-Chennai main line. You can also drive down from Cuttack to this place. The distance is nearly 92 kilometers. Once here, you can stay in the Viraja Panthasala , which is owned by Orissa Tourism.