The 5,000 feet high Mahendragiri hills, situated in the middle of Eastern Ghats in the Paralakhemundi sub-division of Gajapati district is 175 km from Berhampur. It is situated amongst the Eastern Ghats at an elevation of 1,501 meters (4,925 ft). The Mahendra mountain is associated with east direction which clearly says that it is none other than Eastern Ghats. It is associated with mythological stories from the Ramayana as Mahendra Parvata (mountain). It is also Known as the Southern Amarnath of Orissa. a 'Kula Parvata' along with Malaya, Sahyadri, Parijatra, Shuktiman, Vindhya and Malyavaan.In the Puranas and Mahabharata that Parashurama practiced penance for a long time on the Mahendra mountain. The Mahendra Mountain is associated with mythological stories from the Ramayana as Mahendra Parvata (mountain). It is a 'Kula Parvata' along with Malaya, Sahyadri, Parijatra, Shuktiman, Vindhya and Malyavaan. In the Puranas and Mahabharata that Parashuram practiced penance for a long time on the Mahendra Mountain. The epic mountain Mahendragiri is situated in Gajapati district, Odisha. Legend says that, it is the place where Lord Parashuram, a Chiranjeevi staying eternally and doing tapasya. Temples built by Pandavas are seen. The main festival here is Shiv Ratri, the worship of Shiva, the guru or preceptor of lord Parashuram. There are three temples on the top of the mountain. These temples are named after the Pandava brothers and their mother Kunti. Sarala Dasa, the author of Oriya Mahabharata, attributes the establishment of the Gokarnesvara Sivalinga to Pandava brothers who visited Mahendragiri during the period of their exile. The main festival of Mahendragiri is Maha Shiva Ratri that occurs in between February and March. A thousand of devotees from around the world travels here and trek onto the peak to worship Lord Shiva on that day and enjoys the tranquil and striking expressions of nature. On the eve of Maha Shiva Ratri, as thousands of people came here to worship, District Magistrate taking care with special preparations; such as Mobile Health Unit, Drinking Water facility etc. however to expose this place world widely, providing good communication to the peak and accommodation nearby, some major steps must be taken by the District Administrators.
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