← Back to Catalog

Sakshi Gopal Temple

ସାକ୍ଷୀ ଗୋପାଳ ମନ୍ଦିର

Sakshi Gopal (near Puri), Puri, Odisha

Ganga dynasty (14th century CE)KalingaHindu (Vaishnava)state-protectedAI Compiled

About

The Sakshi Gopal Temple enshrines the deity Gopal (Krishna), who according to legend walked as a living witness from Vrindavan to Vidyanagar in Odisha to testify in a dispute between two devotees — a young brahmin and an old man — earning him the name 'Sakshi' (witness) Gopal.

The temple is an important stop on the Puri pilgrimage circuit. The legend of Sakshi Gopal has been immortalized in a popular Odishan play and is one of the most beloved devotional stories in the region.