Khirachora Gopinath Temple

Khirachora Gopinath Temple is situated in Remuna in the Balasore District. Remuna is a very serene and a peaceful place. It is not flocked by many tourists or devotees. Hence this is a perfect place for anyone who wants to get surcharged spiritually by the potency of the holy dham. Remuna comes from the word Ramaniya, one which gives pleasure. Remuna is famed for the Kshirachora Gopinath Temple and the pot of Amrta Keli or Gopinath Kshira. Remuna is also called as Gupt Vrindavana. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had visited the Khirachora Gopinath Temple.

We all know that Lord Krishna stole the butter from the house of the gopis. That is why He is glorified as Makhan Chor. But you must not be knowing that Lord Sri Krishna enacted the same stealing lila in His vigraha form at Remuna in Odisha and glorified as Kshirachor – one who stole the pot of sweet rice.

Khirachora Gopinath Temple

Housed in the small temple, the Deity of Sri Kshirachora Gopinath captivates the mind and the soul of the onlooker. His enchanting smile defeats the looks of Kamadev, the love of God. His divine darshan shall totally make us enchanted towards Him. The Deity’s original name is Gopala Krishna. There is an interesting incident how this Deity manifested and how He travelled to the Khirachora Gopinath Temple in Remuna.

Kshirachora Gopinath was carved by Lord Ramachandra

Long ago during the Treta-yuga while Lord Ramachandra was enacting His lilas in Chitrakood, a strong storm forced Him to take shelter in the ashram of sages. There He was attracted to the mooing of the cows. Seeing them reminded Lord Ramachandra of His future lila as Lord Krishna in Vrindavana. He revealed about this to Mother Sita, who insisted Him to narrate the lilas of Lord Krishna to Her.

Lord Rama said that He would appear in Vrajabhumi as Sri Krishna, the beloved cowherd son of Nanda Baba and Yasoda-devi, and Sita Devi would be Radhika, the beautiful and delicate child of Vrishabhanu and Kirtida. Instead of sporting on Citrakuta Hill, He would run behind the cows and play at Govardhana Hill with Her and His friends like Subala, Sridama and Madhumangala. As They had the kadamba tree beside Their cottage in Chitrakoot, similarly, in Vraja as Gopinatha He would relish many intimate conjugal delights with Radha and the asta-sakhis like Lalita and Visakha underneath the Keli Kadamba trees. Lord Ramachandra asked to Her wait and said that He would carve all those lilas on stone and show Her.

Four days elapsed. Sita Devi became impatient and wanted to see what Lord Rama was carving. To please Her Lord Rama showed Her the Deity of Gopala Krishna.

He first inscribed Gopala Krishna standing in a graceful three-fold bending form clutching a flute. Then on Gopala’s left, Lord Ramacandra formed Lalita-sakhi offering tambula with her right hand, and Visakha holding a tray of fruits and a water pitcher. Citra-sakhi (Sucitra) is holding a flower mala and Indulekha waits at Gopala’s feet for carana-seva. On Gopinatha’s right, Lord Ramacandra carved Campakalata with a camara fan; Ranga-devi with a tray of sandalwood paste; Tungavidya-sakhi clutching new cloth; and Sudevi preparing a flower bed. Thus Rama produced the asta-sakhis with their sevas.

Visit Khirachora Gopinath Temple during the Jagannath Puri Yatra

On either side of Gopala, Sri Rama engraved Krishna’s four dear friends: Subala, Madhumangala, Sanandana and Vidagdha along with three cows each. Three jammu (rose-apple) trees are visible above Gopala’s head along with an engraving showing the destruction of the Mathura wrestlers Canura and Mustika, Kamsa’s demoniac followers. Ananta Sesa is fanned out in the middle above the head of Gopala.

Pleased to have seen Gopala, Mother Sita started worshiping Him in Chitrakoot. After few days when Lord Rama had to leave Chitrakoot, He left the Deity of Gopala Krishna and Lord Brahma took over the worship of this Deity which he continued towards the beginning of the Kali-yuga.

How Gopala Krishna came to be known as Gopinatha?

Later in the 13th century King Langula Narasimhadeva from Kalinga was on a pilgrimage tour. While visiting Chitrakoot, he saw the Deity of Gopala Krishna and was surprised to see that no one was worshiping this Deity, not knowing that He was being worshiped by Brahma daily. That night Lord Gopala Krishna appeared in his dream and instructed the King to take the Deity to a more populated place. The King decided to take Gopala Krishna to Jagannath Puri.

While the entourage was enroute to Puri, they arrived at Remuna. Gopala Krishna again appeared in the dream of the King and asked to be established there. Gopala was enchanted by the cowherd life of this village. Since Gopala Krishna had gopis carved, the queen named Him as Gopinatha meaning the Lord of the Gopis. All the village residents offered a large quantity of milk products to Gopinatha every day. A delicacy named Amrita Keli became world famous because of its nectarean taste as Gopinatha had tasted it. The King constructed the magnificent temple to Lord Gopinatha and initiated His daily worship.

Why Gopinatha stole the pot of Kshira?

Around 14th Century AD, a devotee named Srila Madhavendra Puri who was the grand spiritual master of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had discovered the Deity of Gopala (known as Srinathji, currently being worshiped in Nathdwara) in Govardhana. On the desire of Gopala, Madhavendra Puri had set to Jagannath Puri to fetch sandalwood to cool the body of Gopala.

Enroute he stopped at Remuna. While having darshan of Gopinatha he heard about Amrita Keli and had a desire to taste Amrita Keli so that he could offer the similar preparation to his Gopala at Govardhana. But at the very next moment he began to condemn himself for having such a desire even before the naivedya was offered to Lord Gopinatha. He went to a corner far away from the temple and began to lament for his aparadha.

Lord Krishna who is also known as the Bhakta Vatsala always keeps searching for an opportunity to serve His devotees. And this was such an opportunity. The Deity of Gopinatha understood the desire of His devotee and without any delay stole away a pot of Amrita Keli from the naivedya and hid it behind the curtain of the altar.

Later in the night, He appeared in the dream of the pujari and instructed him to hand over the pot of sweet rice to Madhavendra Puri who was crying in the marketplace. The pujari woke up in a shock and then went to the altar. To his surprise, the pot of sweet rice was there. He rushed with this pot to the marketplace and began calling out for Madhavendra Puri – “Where is that great devotee Madhavendra Puri for whom Gopinatha has stolen the pot of sweet rice? Where is that fortunate soul Madhavendra Puri for whom Lord Gopinatha has stolen this pot of Amrita Keli?”

Madhavendra Puri approached the pujari and introduced himself. He received that pot of sweet rice with great respect. He relished it to the last grain and ate the mud pot in which Amrita Keli was served to him. He immediately proceeded to Jagannath Puri without delay as He did not want to become the centre of attraction. He procured sandalwood from the King of Jagannath Puri and again came to Remuna on his return. This time, His Gopala appeared in the dream and asked him to offer sandalwood to Gopinatha as they were non-different.

Madhavendra Puri then performed a grand festival of Chandan Yatra to Gopinatha before returning to Jagannath Puri. Even today the Chandan Yatra festival is conducted in the Khirachora Gopinath temple during Akshaya Tritiya. The transcendental body of the Deity is applied with the sandalwood paste to cool Him.

And even today devotees flock to Kshirachora Gopinath Temple to just taste the nectarean Amrita Keli which was stolen so lovingly by Lord Gopinatha just to fulfil the desire of His pure devotee. Is not true that Lord Krishna is the Lord of the unlimited lilas?

Temples near Khirachora Gopinath Temple

On the altar beside Lord Khirachora Gopinath, one can have darshan of Lord Govinda and Lord Madana-mohana who were brought by a devotee named by Baba Chaitanya Dasa in 1938 from Vrindavana.

Sapta Saras – a lake created by Lord Ramachandra by striking 7 arrows into the earth
Gargeshwar Mahadev Temple – a small Shivalinga which was worshiped by Garga Muni
Samadhi of Madhavendra Puri
Samadhi of Rasikananda Prabhu

Khirachora Gopinath Temple Timings

Early morning till 12:30 pm
4 pm to 7 pm

The evening arati is spectacular in this temple

How to reach Khirachora Gopinath Temple in Remuna?

Best way to travel and experience Khirachora Gopinath temple in totality is to travel with Tirtha Yatra on the Jagannath Puri Yatra.

Devotees can reach Howrah / Jagannath Puri and take a train to Balasore. From Balasore one can hire an auto / taxi to reach the temple.

Devotees can also hire taxi from Kolkata / Bhubaneswar and reach the temple.

Best time to visit Khirachora Gopinath Temple

August to February

This article is written based on the Odiya book authored by Sri Kaisoranandadeva Gosvami, a disciple of Rasikananda Prabhu, Amrita Pravaha Bhashya by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Madhya-lila of Chaitanya-charitamrita, 

1