Sakhi Gopinath Temple

Sakhigopala Temple formally known as Satyabadi Gopinatha Temple is a medieval temple dedicated to Lord Gopinatha located in the town of Sakhigopala on the Puri Bhubaneshwar highway in Odisha, India. The temple is built in the Kalinga style of temple architecture.

The temple is famous for celebrating the annual Anla Navami Festival (Anla = gooseberry; Navami = ninth day in a lunar cycle). The festival is associated with the practice of touching Radha’s feet (Radha was the legendary lover of Lord Krishna). Legend has it that the temple was originally without a statue of Radha. But when a girl named Lakhmi claimed to be the incarnation of Radha, and it is believed that Lord Krishna (here as Gopala) should not be without his true love Radha, a statue from northern India was installed here. The statue had originally Ghagra and Choli adorned but when it was clad on a traditional saree of Odisha, the feet of the statue was visible and the priests took it for a holy sign. From that day Anla Navami is celebrated and Hindu pilgrims are allowed inside the temple to touch the goddess’s feet. Hundreds of thousands of devotees throng the temple on this holy occasion.