Alarnatha Temple or Alvarnaatha (Sanskrit: अल्वार् नाथ), (Oriya: ଅଲାରନାଥ) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu and located in Brahmagiri, Odisha, near Puri. It becomes crowded during the krishnapaksha of Ashadha, after the Snana Yatra when devotees are not allowed to see the central icon of Jagannath (a form of Vishnu) in his Puri temple. During this period, popularly known as Anasara or 'Anavasara' (literally meaning no opportunity to see the lord of Puri), instead of having darshan in the Puri temple, devotees believe that Jagannath during this time manifests as Alarnath Dev, at the Alarnath temple in Brahmagiri, which is about 23 km from Puri. It is considered one among the 108 Abhimana Kshethram of Vaishnavate tradition.

Historical evidence

The temple is associated with the visit of the saint Ramanujacharya to Odisha.^[1] Chaitanya Mahaprabhu during his stay in Puri used to see the deity form of Jagannath daily. During Anavasara when Jagannath and his sibling deities were taken to the secret chamber for 15 days, he was unable to see the Lord. So as per legend, Jagannath directed him to go to Brahmagiri and visit the Alarnath temple. Still today the Shila over which Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to do Sankirtana is there. Many historians opine that Alvars once visited this place, but there is no mention of it in Divyaprabandam. But still the temple is considered one among the 108 Abhimana Kshethram of Vaishnavate tradition.

Temple timings

The temple opens at 6 AM and closes at 9:30PM. Baal Bhoga (breakfast) is offered in the morning. At midday, different kinds of rice, daal, and vegetable curries are offered along with kheeri (rice pudding) as dessert. At night, different kinds of pitha and khichudi with plantain fry is offered. During Anavasara time the Kheeri bhoga offered to Alvarnaath Swami is much hyped and in demand.

References

^ K.K. Kusuman (1990). A Panorama of Indian Culture: Professor A. Sreedhara Menon Felicitation Volume. Mittal Publications. p. 166. ISBN 978-81-7099-214-1.

19°47′42″N 85°39′01″E / 19.794880°N 85.650201°E / 19.794880; 85.650201

Hindu temples in Odisha

Bhubaneswar

Shiva temples	Aisanyesvara Siva Temple Akhadachandi Temple Astasambhu Temples Belesvara Siva Temple Bhima Kunda Bhringesvara Siva Temple Bhrukutesvar Siva Temple Brahmeswara Temple Byamokesvara Temple Chakreshvari Siva Temple Champakesvara Siva Temple Chandrasekhara Mahadeva Temple Chintamanisvara Siva Temple Devasabha Temple Dishisvara Siva Temple Gangesvara Siva Temple Gosagaresvar Siva Temple Jaleswar Siva Temple Precinct Kalika Siva Temple Kapilesvara Siva Temple Kedareswar Temple Labesvara Siva Temple Ladu Baba Temple Lakhesvara Siva Temple Lingaraj Temple Madneswar Siva Temple Mangalesvara Siva Temple Manibhadresvara Temple - II Mukteswar Temple Nagesvara Temple, Bhubaneswar Pabaneswara Temple Papanasini Siva Temple Parsurameswar Temple Purvesvara Siva Temple Rajarani Temple Rameshwar Deula Sarvatresvara Siva Temple Siddhesvara Siva Temple Subarnesvara Siva Temple Suka Temple Sukutesvara Temple Svapnesvara Siva Temple Talesvara Siva Temple Tirthesvara Siva Temple Uttaresvara Siva Temple Vaital Deula Yameshwar Temple
Vishnu temples	Ananta Vasudeva Temple Bharati Matha Gandhi Garabadu Precinct Vishnu Temple Ram Mandir, Bhubaneswar Vishnu Temple, Bhubaneswar
Shakti temples	Chausathi Jogini Temple Parvati Temple, Odisha
Other temples	Brahma Temple, Bindusagar Hanuman Temple, Kedara-Gouri Sivatirtha Matha

Cuttack district

Shiva temples	Chateshwar Temple Dhabaleswar Simhanath Temple
Vishnu temples	Madhava Temple
Shakti temples	Bhattarika Temple Charchika Temple Cuttack Chandi Temple Durga Temple, Baideshwar Durga Temple, Motia
Other temples	Brahma Temple, Niali

Puri district

Shiva temples	Beleswar Temple Lokanatha Temple Markandeshwar Temple
Vishnu temples	Alarnatha Mandira Chakra Narasimha Temple Gundicha Temple Jagannath Temple, Puri Narasimha Temple, Puri Sakshigopal Temple
Shakti temples	Bata Mangala Temple Kakatpur Mangala Temple Mausi Maa Temple Ramachandi Temple Varahi Deula, Chaurasi Vimala Temple
Sun temples	Konark Sun Temple
Other temples	Govardhana matha Emar Matha

Western Odisha

Shiva temples	Kosaleswara temple Leaning Temple of Huma
Vishnu temples	Nrusinghanath Temple Patali Srikhetra
Shakti temples	Lankeswari Temple Samaleswari Temple Sureswari temple
Other temples	Harishankar Temple Sasisena Temple

Rayagada district

Shiva temples	Bhimashankar Chatikona Nilakantheswar Temple Pataleswar
Vishnu temples	Jagannath Temple, Gunupur Jagannath Temple, Rayagada Laxminarayan temple, Therubali
Shakti temples	Maa Markama Temple Majhighariani Temple

Other

Shiva temples	Ajaikapada Bhairava Temple Akhandalamani Temple Annakoteshvara Temple Bhuvaneshwar Temple, Boudh Chandaneswar Gupteswar Cave Godhaneswar temple Indralath Temple Kapilash Temple Murga Mahadeva Shrine Nilakantheswar Temple Panchalingeshwar Sekhareswar Temple
Vishnu temples	Anantasaayi Vishnu Temple Ananta Shayana Anantashayana Vishnu Baladevjew Temple Chhatia Bata Jagannath Temple, Baripada Jagannath Temple, Dharakote Jagannath Temple, Koraput Jagannath Temple, Nayagarh Khirachora Gopinatha Temple Lakhmi Varaha Temple Narayana Gosain Temple Nilamadhav Temple Odogaon Raghunath Temple Varahanatha Temple
Shakti temples	Bhadrakali Temple, Aharapada Bhagabati Temple, Banapur Biraja Temple Ghanteswari Temple Goddess Maheshwari Kalijai Kanaka Durga, Raulapalli Kichakeshwari Temple Maa Barunei Temple Maa Tarini Temple, Ghatgaon Maa Ugra Tara Maa Markama Temple Mahishamardini Temple Majhighariani Temple Manikeshwari Temple Marichi temple Mausimaa Temple Metakani Temple Narayani Temple Saptamatruka Temple Sarala Temple Siddha Bhairavi Taratarini Temple Upper Bagh Devi Temple
Sun temples	Biranchinarayan Temple, Buguda Biranchinarayan Temple, Palia
Ganesha temples	Budha Ganesha Temple Mahavinayak Temple Siddha Vinayaka
Other temples	Bhandara Ghara Shrine Hanuman Vatika Harihara Deula Joranda Gadhi