NABARANGPUR:The Trinity at Nabarangpur will soon get a new abode. The construction of a new Jagannath temple, which was going on for the last one decade, is nearing completion.
The new temple has come up at the same place where the old temple once stood. The district is home to several Jagannath temples but the one at Nabarangpur town in the oldest. The three centuries-old temple was demolished gradually for construction of the new temple. The temple’s wooden ceiling has intricate carvings on it. It was built between 1758 and 1781 during the rule of Vikram Dev I. Till the late 80s, the only idol of Lord Jagannath was worshipped in the sanctum sanctorum.
It is said that the wooden idols of Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra were taken away by a ruler of Bastar and kept in a temple at Jagdalpur. He tried to take away Lord Jagannath’s idol but the idol miraculously slipped from the elephant back and the next day, the idol was retrieved by the locals.
During 80s, devotees installed idols of Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.