Taptapani- Incredible place of odisha

Taptapani

Goddess Kandhuni Devi Of Taptapani
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One of the wonders of nature, hot springs are said to be curative. Taptapani is actually a hot spring, according to local folklore for more than 300 years. Tappatani worshiped by the tribes as Kanduni Devi is thronged by festivals like Sankranti and Dussehra. 

People from nearby tribal villages flock to worship the Goddess. But for the rest of the year, it’s wild, and if you love nature and tranquility, this is the place for you. Other than the call of birds, the howling of the mountain streams, and the sound of a motor vehicle that occasionally crosses over, it is a quiet, magical feeling that can be completely cut off. To get the true experience of Taptapani, stay for at least two days, making it your trip to Chandragiri.

Best Things to see and do

Deer Park Of Taptapani
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• The best of Thapatpani is rest and relaxation. Soak in the hot sun, breathe the clean mountain air, and experience one with nature. Sit on the patio or balcony of the guesthouse and watch nature. At night, only the sounds of the jungle remain.

• You can take a long walk on Third Hill Road, or climb up to see the source of a mountain stream. Visit the nearby Sorara tribal villages with a staff from the guesthouse that can guide you. Spend some time in the deer park - a large enclosure with deer, sambar, and blackbucks, maintained by the Forest Department.

• The temple complex consists of hot springs surrounded by a circular tank. Inside there are a few rocks, covered with turmeric and sindoor, covered with dark red hibiscus - special flowers dedicated to goddesses.

• Kandhuni Devi is a goddess mainly worshiped by Adivasis. It is believed that the hot springs are worshiped in the form of emerging stones and are given to children. According to custom, women who seek her blessings fast and worship the Goddess.

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• After eating Prasad, they drown in hot springs and extract a handful of mud from the spring. The priest, locally known as Janie, examines the mud and explains whether or not their wishes are fulfilled. It is believed that water has medicinal properties and therefore people with skin diseases come here for healing.

• The peasants of the region took a pot of water from the hot springs and sprayed it across their fields, with the belief that the goddess would bless them with abundant harvests. All the rituals of Nilakanteswaran, the main deity of the Shiva temple near the hot springs, are performed through this water.

• This perennial spring serves as a way of life for people, never dry, and not in the summer when the size of neighboring water bodies diminishes. However, according to some elderly residents, the significant change is the reduction in sulfur levels. According to folklore, the hot spring was previously located in a different location, 2km away in the deepest part of the forest called Belagada. But that spring gradually shrunk and the water stopped flowing.

• The goddess appeared in the priest's dreams and instructed her to find the fountain at the present site. The remains of the former hot springs are still visible in the form of the crumbling walls of the small tank.

• Hot water from the main tank flows into two large tanks, and there are separate bathing areas for women and men. A small path leads to a Shiva temple a few steps away, and the whole area is shaded by large trees, whose circular trunks look like pillars. To the left of the entrance, the arch is an old corrugated tin-roofed structure that serves as a dormitory. A few dogs wandering nearby complete the rural atmosphere of the place.