Biraja Temple, Hindu temple in Jajpur, Odisha, India

Biraja is a Hindu temple in Jajpur district, Odisha, protected as a state monument. The main structure shows stone pillars and carved panels in Kalinga style, surrounded by smaller buildings with similar motifs.

The present temple was built in the 11th century CE. It is also called Birija Kshetra or Biraja Mandira, and the Skanda Purana describes it as a site that cleanses pilgrims. The Tantra Chudamani holds that Sati's navel fell here in the Utkala kingdom, and Adi Shankara's Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha Stuti names the goddess Girija.

The temple takes its name from a local form of the goddess worshipped in this part of Odisha for centuries. Visitors see believers bringing flowers and coconuts, kneeling before the shrines while priests recite Sanskrit verses.

The site opens at daybreak and closes after sunset, with ceremonies mostly held in the morning and evening. Visitors should cover shoulders and knees and remove shoes before entering the shrines.

An old well beside the main shrine supplies water used for ritual washing before prayers. Priests explain that this well never runs dry, even during the hottest months of the year.