According to Dr. K C Panigrahi, sometime a Superintendent of the Eastern Archaeological Circle, the presiding deity of the territory was originally a Narayana or Vishnu and, in 348-59 AD, another new deity Vinitesvara was set up. The Narayana image has disappeared and the Vinitesvara is the Mukhalimgam. This was set up in 348-49 AD by Dandanayaka Gomibhata.

A painting of the Temple Ruins was made by Thomas Daniell around 1790-1808, which shows the condition of the hill in those days. The temple was not very accessible even after independence, as is seen in older photographs. With a road having come up recently, the access has become much easier, and there is also a proposal to build a ropeway to the temple from the plains, which will make the journey even more interesting in the future.

Local Traditions:- 

Buchanan’s account is of particular importance because of the tradition that was mentioned to him regarding the temple. He has mentioned :-

“There was a certain Munda, whom people generally call a Chero Raja; but the pandit of the survey says that he was a Daitya, who had a brother named Chanda, and both lived in the Golden age. These brothers who, according to the Markandeya Purana, were the chief military officers (senapati) of Shumbha and Nishumbha, two great infidel (daitya) kings, were killed by Parvati, who on that account is called Chamunda, a title it is said, composed of the two infidels’ names. It is further said that the proper name of Chayanpur is Chanupur derived from one of the brothers who resided there, while a small temple named Mundesvari, and situated on a hill about five miles east from Chayanpur, was built by the daitya Munda.”

To be continued...