Srinivasan A TO Z INDIA SEPTEMBER 2022 PAGE 28 Shree Jagannath Temple Khallikot, Ganjam, Odisha, Bharat (India): This temple is Recognised as the 2nd largest Jagannath Temple after Puri Jagannath Temple. If historians are to be believed, construction of this Temple in Khallikote was started in 1730 by King Jagannath Mardaraja-I and completed by his grandson King Jagannath Mardaraja-II in the year 1868. According to some ancient texts Bhagwan Jagannath of Puri along with brother Ba labhadra and sister Subhadra spent some of their time in this temple during their exile when Mughals attacked Sri Mandira in Puri.This temple is grand & the outer walls are beautifully carved with the sculptures of Dasavatara, AstaDigapalas, Different other avataras of Vishu ( i.e. Janardhan, Madhav, Lakshmi Narayan etc), some beautiful Nagas, Nartakis etc. Every single stone is carved beautifully in this temple which will mesmerize you for sure.But this ancient Shree Jagannath Temple in Khallikote of Ganjam district is in a dilapidated state due to alleged lack of maintenance by the government. It is believed that if immediate steps are not taken towards the renovation of the temple, the centuries-old structure might even collapse.