Dudhadhari Math and Temple, Raipur, Chhattisgarh India

Built in 1610, the Dudhadhari Math and Temple is probably Raipur's oldest temple. Situated near the Burha Talab, it is dedicated to Lord Ram. The interior walls of the temple are painted in brilliant colours with scenes from the Ramayana. The name of the temple supposedly comes from a sage named Balabhadra Das, who lived in the temple and survived only on milk.

The founder of this math (temple) was Shri Balbhadra Das Mahantji. However no body knows the exact date when he came to Raipur. Mahantji was great devotee of Lord Hanumanji. He started worshipping a piece of stone as if that was the Lord Hanuman himself. Everyday a cow called "Surhi" would come and bathe the stone with milk which the Mahantji drank and in fact stopped eating food. Hence with the passage of time, Mahantji's food was "Dudh-Ahari" meaning food consisting of milk and hence the name of the math followed. In days of yore, when Raipur came under the Nagpur region, it used to be ruled by the Bhosles. Shri Raghu Raoji Bhosle who was then king built the "Balaji Temple" in 1610 AD.