Alarnatha Mandira
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alarnatha Mandira or Alvarnaatha Mandira (Sanskrit: अल्वार् नाथ), (Odia: ଅଲାରନାଥ) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu and located in Brahmagiri, Odisha, near Puri. The temple also houses a shrine for his consort Mahalakshmi. During the krishnapaksha of Ashadha, the temple draws large crowds following the Snana Yatra, as devotees are not allowed to view the central icon of Jagannath (a form of Vishnu) in the Puri temple. During this period, popularly known as Anasara or 'Anavasara' (literally meaning no opportunity to see the Lord), devotees believe that Lord Jagannath manifests as Alarnath Dev at the Alarnath Mandira in Brahmagiri, about 23 km from Puri. Instead of having darshan in the Puri temple, pilgrims visit this shrine. It is considered one among the 108 Abhimana Kshethram of Vaishnavate tradition.
