#21Days21Deities
Day 21: Maa Bimala
Maa Bimala is considered to be main Adyashakti. Bimala is guardian of Lord Jagannatha & guardian of the temple complex. Devotees pay respect to her before worshipping Jagannatha in main temple. It is regarded as holiest Shakti Pitha. https://twitter.com/ashishsarangi/status/1249736837423190017

The temple faces east and is built of sandstone and laterite. It is built in the Deula style with four components; vimana (structure containing the sanctum), jagamohana (assembly hall), nata-mandapa (festival hall) and bhoga-mandapa (hall of offerings).

The Hevajara Tantra, which has a similar list, also mentions Bimala (Katyayini) as the Bhairavi and Jagannatha as the Bhairava in the Pitha of Udra (Odra, identified with Odisha). The Matsya Purana mentions Purushottama Kshetra with goddess Bimala as a Shakti Pitha.

Bamana Purana notes it as a sacred pilgrimage site. Mahapitha Nirupanam also mentions Bimala & Jagannatha as deities of Pitha. In Namasttotra Sata, a Puranic list of 100 mother goddesses, Bimala of Purushottama is named. Devi Purana also mentions it as a Pitha.

Generally, no separate food offerings are cooked for the goddess Bimala. The goddess is described to survive on the remnants (Uchchhishta) of Jagannatha's meals. The vegetarian food offerings to Jagannath are offered to Vimala, after which they are sanctified as Mahaprasad.

The only time in the year when separate food is cooked for the goddess is when she is offered non-vegetarian offerings. During Durga Puja, Bimala is offered non-vegetarian food and animal sacrifice, traditionally offered to the Hindu Mother Goddess.

She is considered to assume a destructive form during festival & meat is considered necessary to placate her. In strict secrecy during pre-dawn hours, animal sacrifice of he-goat is offered, fish from sacred Markanda temple tank are cooked & offered, as per Tantric rituals.

Rituals have to be completed before the doors of main sanctum of Jagannatha are opened at dawn and the first morning aarti is offered to the god. Vaishnava devotees of Jagannath are debarred from the temple. Only a few who witness the ceremony are given Bimala parusa as prasad.

Kakudikhai Gosani is considered to be the representative of Maa Bimala outside srimandira. Kakudikhai Gosani
is regarded as the chief among the
Gosanis of Puri worshipped at Baniapati in
Balisahi in front of Jagannatha temple.

Bimala sa mahadevi Jagannatha tu bhairaba...

Pics and information are collected from wikipedia, Google....