Chandan Hajuri (20 January 1827 – 1870) popularly known as 'Chakhi Khuntia' was a Jagannath Temple priest and a poet who participated in the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

[1] Chandan Hajuri was born on the auspicious day of Samba Dashami in the year 1827 which fell on 7 January 1827 in Puri of Odisha in an Utkal brahmin family to father Raghunath Khuntia alias Bhimasen Hajuri and mother Kamalabati.

At a young age, he was taught Odia, Sanskrit and Hindi literature to help him perform his duties in the Jagannath temple.

[2] Chakhi Khuntia happened to be the family priest of Manubai, later renamed Lakshmibai after her marriage to Gangadhar Rao, the King of Jhansi.

He played a crucial role in mobilizing the sepoys and organizing mutiny while traveling across the country as a Panda of the Jagannath Temple before the Indian Rebellion of 1857.