Biraja /Viraja/Girija Devi Temple
Biraja Temple Shakti Peeth , Jajpur
The Biraja Temple, or Birija Kshetra (Odia:ବିରଜା ମନ୍ଦିର, Birajā Kṣetra), is a historic Hindu temple located in Jajpur (about 125 kilometres (78 mi) north of Bhubaneswar), Odisha, India. The present temple was built during the 13th century. The principal idol is Devi Durga, who is worshipped as Viraja (Girija), and the temple gave Jajpur the nicknames “Viraja Kshetra” and “Biraja Peetha”. The Durga idol has two hands (dwibhuja), spearing the chest of Mahishasura with one hand and pulling his tail with the other. One of her feet is on a lion, and the other is on Mahishasura’s chest. Mahishasura is depicted as a water buffalo. The idol’s crown features Ganesha, a crescent moon and a lingam. The temple covers a large area, and has several shrines to Shiva and other deities. According to the Skanda Purana it cleanses pilgrims, and it is called the Viraja or the Biraja kshetra. Jajpur is believed to have about one crore of Shiva lingams.
In Tantra
The Brahmayamala Tantra has a hymn, “Aadya Stotra”, dedicated to Shakti. In the hymn, Vimala is the goddess of Puri and Viraja (Girija) is the goddess worshipped in the Utkala Kingdom, which became Odisha.
According to the Tantra Chudamani, Sati’s navel fell in the Utkala Kingdom, also known as “Viraja kshetra”. Adi Shankara, in his Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha Stuti describes the goddess as Girija. In Tantra literature, the Oddiyana Peetha (Devnagari:ओड़्याण पीठ) is located in eastern India near the Vaitarani River (an Oddiyana is an ornament worn by a woman around her navel).
Sree Bagalamukhi Deity
There is a separate shrine for Sree Bagalamukhi Devi, which is right of Maa Biraja. One can find very few temples for this Roopa of Dasamahavidya