Why Odisha’s Dandu Maa Temple opens for just 11 days in a year. The Dandu Maa Temple in Odisha’s Gajapati district opens its doors to devotees for only 11 days a year. Its doors open on the first day of Navratri, when special rituals are performed, and close after midnight on Vijayadashami. The temple then reopens for one additional day on the second Tuesday after Dussehra. The practice is rooted in local traditions.