The Tuesdays in Chaitra Month as per traditional Hindu
calendar followed in Orissa is of great importance at the famous Taratarini Temple at Berhampur in Orissa. This is
the most important festival observed at the Tara Tarini Pitha – one of the
important Goddess Shakti Temples in India . In 2025, the auspicious dates are March 18, March 25, April 1 and April 8.
More than a million devotees visit the temple during the
Chaitra Month. More than 200,000 devotees alone visit the shrine on the four
Tuesdays in the month.
The highlight of the festival is the offering of hair to the
deity by many devotees. Special arrangements are made for this and nearly 1000
barbers work overtime during the period.
The popular belief is that breast of Goddess Sati fell here
and thus making it one of the most powerful Shakti Peeth in the country.
Goddesses Tara-Tarini is the presiding deity in most houses in Southern Orissa .
This important and famous Shakti Pitha is situated atop a
hill at a distance of 30 km towards north of Brahmapur on the south bank of Rushikulya River .