The town was formerly known as Daṣkatapovana and Daṣkavāṭika.[3] This is the place where Daksha head of all prajapatis did a yagna called Nirīśvara yāga or Nirīśvara yajña. This place's present name is a compound of Daṣka and Ārāma which means "Abode of Daksha". This place was also referred to as Daṣkavāṭika by Jagadguru Adi Shankara in maha shakti peetha sloka at Māṇikye Dakṣa vāṭika which points to "Maanikyamba devi of Draksharama". The place where Daksha performed Nirīśvara yajña is still visited by pilgrims here.
History of the temple
Inscriptions in the temple reveal that it was built between the 9th and 10th centuries CE by the Eastern Chalukyan king, Bhima. The big Mandapam of the temple was built by Ganga Mahadevi, daughter-in-law of Eastern Ganga Dynasty king Narasingha Deva I of Odisha.[4] Architecturally and sculpturally, the temple reflects a blend of Chalukyan and Chola styles.[5]
The temple is historically prominent. It was built by Eastern Chalukyas who reigned over this area. It's believed to have been constructed earlier to the Bhimeswaraswamy temple in Samarlakota that was built between 892 C.E. and 922 C.E.
Rajguru, Padmashri Dr. Satyanarayana (1986). "No 1 - Ganga o Gajapati Bansha Ra Utpatti o Sankhipta Itihasa". Odisha Ra Sanskrutika Itihasa. Odisha Ra Sanskrutika Itihasa. Vol. 4. Cuttack, Odisha: Orissa Sahitya Akademi.
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