In Odisha’s Kalahandi district, there is a goddess whose sacred form looks very different from the familiar images of Hindu goddesses. At the Maa Manikeswari Temple in Bhawanipatna, the deity is represented in a distinctive form that has inspired devotion and curiosity for generations. But the mystery goes beyond her appearance. Local tradition connects the goddess to a royal family, a journey from Chota Nagpur and a remarkable annual procession known as Chhatar Yatra.
