Chandi Temple, Cuttack stands in Cuttack, Odisha, honours Goddess Chandi, a form of Durga. It is also known as Katak Chandi Temple, Kataka Chandi Mandir.
Regarded as the presiding deity of Cuttack, sometimes called the Silver City, the temple is one of Odisha's most popular and important Durga/Chandi shrines and draws very large crowds, particularly during Durga Puja, when the goddess is worshipped in her various forms. According to legend, Hansa Panda, priest to the Kanika king of Cuttack, had a dream in which the goddess Katakeswari Chandi asked to be freed from the earth.
Odisha carries a distinct temple identity of its own: Land of Kalinga temple architecture, from Jagannath's Rath Yatra at Puri to the sculpted sun-chariot of Konark.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM (continuous darshan window) |
Hours may be extended during Durga Puja and Kali Puja; confirm locally during festival periods.
Poojas and daily rituals
Nitya Puja (daily worship) and Chandi Patha (recitation of the Chandi scripture)
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Durga Puja | Ashwina month (September to October), 16 days from Ashwina Krishna Ashtami through Vijayadashami | The temple's biggest festival, with the goddess worshipped in multiple forms; Shohala Besha is a notable ritual presentation during this period |
| Kali Puja | Kartik month (October to November) | Annual worship of Goddess Kali, one of the temple's major festival occasions |
History and architecture
Architecture
Traditional Odiya temple architecture with carved stone work and sculptural detailing
History
According to legend, Hansa Panda, priest to the Kanika king of Cuttack, had a dream in which the goddess Katakeswari Chandi asked to be freed from the earth. The king ordered excavation at the spot, and workers uncovered an idol along with about 40 bullock-cart loads of red sindoor (vermilion). The idol has since been worshipped as Goddess Katak Chandi and is regarded as having been the ancestral deity of the medieval Gajapati kingdom.
Planning your visit
How to reach
About 5 km from Cuttack railway station, near the banks of the Mahanadi river, and reachable by local transport within Cuttack city
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. Exact founding era is not documented, and some secondary listicle sites report an entry restriction that could not be confirmed from an authoritative source, so it was left out