Matkhai Budha is the deity of Matkhai hills, the biggest landmark near Bolangir town. Even Matkhai Mahotsav, the national level drama competition named after the hill, is organised every year here by Bhumika, the leading theatre group of the town. The idol of God Matkhai (an incarnation of Lord Shiva) was there even before the temple was built. Legend has it that a rich man built the temple there after the God appeared in his dream. Yet the Vaishno Devi temple was built by the Mahanta of Narshing temple, Sri Brajakishore Sarandevji Maharaj in Bolangir. Later, while a Shanidev temple and a Vishwakarma temple were built adjacent to the Matkhai temple on the road point, a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva (worshipped as Jameshwar Mahadev) was also erected adjacent to the Vaishno Devi temple on the hilltop.
This place can be viewed as a replica of the famous shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi in Jammu. While there devotees travel 14 km to reach Bhawan, the main shrine, here you have to climb only 300 metres up the hill to reach the temple. Devotees love to utter the divine and popular slogan ‘Jay Mata Di’ to get rid of the pain during the journey. Three idols of Mahalakshmi, Mahasaraswati and Mahakali are there in the shrine while the Shivalinga in the other temple is a magnetic piece of work. Interestingly, you can have a bird’s eye of view of a major part of Bolangir town from the temple top and the scene leaves the onlooker awestruck.
