Shikharchandi Temple Reopens After Elephants Return to Bharatpur Forest

Bhubaneswar: Tourists can breathe a sigh of relief as the Shikharchandi Temple in Bhubaneswar reopened on Monday after remaining closed for several days due to the presence of elephants in the area.

According to officials, a herd of seven elephants had strayed into the Sikharchandi hill region around five days ago. While forest department teams managed to guide most of the herd away, two tuskers continued to remain on the hilltop, raising concerns over public safety. Despite repeated efforts, the elephants initially refused to move and were seen trumpeting and shifting between the hill and the adjoining forest areas.

With tourist safety in mind, authorities decided to temporarily close the Shikharchandi Temple. Several visitors who arrived on Sunday were disappointed to find the temple gates shut.

To monitor the movement of the elephants, forest department personnel deployed drones and continued operations through the night. Their efforts finally paid off early Monday morning when, at around 5 am, the two tuskers moved back into the Bharatpur forest.

Following the safe return of the elephants, the temple administration reopened the Shikharchandi Temple for devotees and tourists. Forest officials said the situation is now under control and regular monitoring will continue to prevent similar incidents in the future.