From many decades since, the temple and the town of Ratanpur have attracted the

attention of scores of historians and archeologists. Surrounded by lush green hills and
housing more than 150 ponds, the town is flocked twice a year by hundreds of
thousands of devotees every year, who visit here in Navrataras to get darshan of the
awe-inspiring dual-statue of their beloved goddess: Mahamaya Devi. Situated at 25 km
away from the city of Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh) on the Bilaspur-Ambikapur state highway,
the Mandir and the relics of scores of ancilliary temples, domes, palaces and forts
now rundown by the time and natural forces seem to tell a story. Once the capital of
the Kalchuri kings, Ratanpur then, Ratnapur has almost a millenium of history.
Built on the Nagar school of architecture, the temple is surrounded by a 18 inch thick
boundary wall. Supported by sixteen stone columns, the temple is believed to be built
around 12th century AD. Many of the statues and motifs used in the temple have been
taken from rundown or broken temples of earlier centuries, some of them were Jain
temples. The main campus of temple has the smaller statues of Mahakali, Bhadrakali,
Surya Dev, Lord Vishnu, Lord Hanuman, Bhairav and Lord Shiva. It is believed that the
first puja and abhihek of Devi was performed at this place by Kalinga king Ratna Dev in
1050 AD, when he shifted his capital from tuman to Ratnapur. Because of its strategic
geographical status, King Ratna Dev and his heirs made Ratnapur their capital and built
up palaces, fort and temples, the remnants of which can be seen still today.
Dual statue of Maa Mahamaya
Inside the main temple campus, facing the famous
Kanthi Dewal temple and the Temple main pond is the splendid dual statues of
Mahamaya: the front one is called the Mahishasur Mardini and the hind statue is
believed to be that of Goddess Saraswati. However, by a casual viewer the rear statue
can often be overlooked. In the Navratras, devotees come from all corners of the
country and the world to get a glimpse of the celebrated Devi and pay their rituals.
Surrounding the main temple are many big halls where Jyoti Kalashas are lit by the
Trust on behalf of the devotees. The Kalashas are kept alive for the whole nine days of
Navratras. This is why they are also called Akhand Manookaamna Navratra Jyoti
Kalashas. It is believed that Devi fulfills all your wishes if you follow proper fasting, puja
and archana of Devi and also contribute to the Akhand Jyoti Kalashas.
Around the main temple, there are many other temples of equally rich historical and
archeological value. The most important of these are Mahamrityunjaya Panchmukhee

Shiv Mandir and Kanthi Dewal. Panchmukhee Shiv Mandir is a magnificient architecture
made of red stone and is believed to be the origin of the Mahamaya statue.
It is also believed that if you make a wish before it, after performing proper puja and
hang a shriphal (coconut) wrapped in red cloth on the tree before it, your wish is granted
by Him.
The Kanthi Dewal temple is octagonal in shape and believed to be of Hindu and Moghul
school of architecture. Made of red stone, all its walls are decorated by sculptures of 9th
to 12th century. The important sculptures are : Shaal Bhanjika, a Lady feeding a child,
Lingodhbhava Shiva and a Kalchuri king. Inside the Kanthi Dewal temple is a Shiv
Lingam, the phallus, which, in Hindu dharma, is believed to be the source of Divine
Energy. It is believed that if Lingam is poured with milk and water after proper pujaarchana, it is sure to give the devotee the mental and physical strength and energy. A
little known fact about this temple is that it was reconstituted recently by the Department
of Archeological Survey of India. The reconstitution spanned five years, but the actual
shape of the temple was kept intact.