Marichi Temple, Religious temple in Ajodhya, Balasore district, India

Marichi Temple is a pidha vimana style Hindu and Buddhist temple in Ajodhya, Baleswar district, Odisha. The sanctum holds three late 11th-century icons: the central image worshipped as Durga, the Mahayana goddess Marichi flanked by two goddesses, and other figures. The temple is built of lime stone and has a flat mandapa in front of the main shrine.

The present temple is a recent pidha vimana construction, but its inner sanctum holds three icons from the late 11th century. The surrounding walls carry tantric, Jain and Buddhist images of the same period, attributed to the Somavamsi Keshari dynasty. The central figure is worshipped as Durga, though it is in fact the Mahayana goddess Marici.

Both Hindu and Buddhist visitors come here to worship, showing how different faiths coexist peacefully in this region. The main deity Durga shares space with the Mahayana goddess Marichi, reflecting how Odisha has always mixed religious traditions.

The temple lies 9 km north of Sajanagada, on the right side of the road from Nilagiri to Mayurbhanj, and 20 km from Balasore town. Buses, trekker services and taxis run from Balasore; the nearest railway station is Balasore. The village is also reached by a second road, 14 km from Nilagiri.

The innermost chamber houses artworks from different religious traditions dating to the late 11th century. Hindu sculptures sit alongside Jain and Buddhist images, revealing the spiritual diversity of that medieval period.