Located on the banks of Renuka River, Charchika Temple at
Banki is an important Shakti shrine in the region. The temple is around 53 km
from Cuttack in Odisha. Goddess Charchika is a manifestation of Mother Goddess
Shakti.
Charchika Temple is one of the eight important Shakti
shrines in Odisha. Goddess Chamunda is known as Charchika in this part of
Odisha.
The murti worshipped in the shrine is that of the fierce
form of Chamunda. She has eight arms. She is seated on a prostrate human body
and wearing a garland of human skulls. She displays khadga, shula, katari and varada mudra in her four right hands whereas the four left hands represent severed head,
blood-cup, damru and leaving a finger of the remaining hand soaked in blood.
The ceilings, walls and pillars of the temple are noted for
its carvings from stories in the Puranas and motifs.
Sculptures of her with an inviting smile is shown picking remnants of flesh of demons she ate during the battle with her left hand small finger. This is pose is known as Charchika mudra.
The most important festivals observed here are Durga Puja
and Kumar Purnima.
