With the Bay of Bengal on one side
and the rich Eastern Ghats on the other,
Orissa boasts of an envious amalgamation of the past
and modern day culture and heritage in the eastern part of India.
Known as the “Temple City of India” and also the “Soul of India”,
Orissa (or Odisha, as the locals call the place) houses more than 800 temples
that resemble the Indo-Aryan style of architecture.
Apart from,
the famous Jagannath Temple of Puri and Sun Temple of Konark,
there are a number of other beautiful temples
in the state that few people know about.
Here is a list of five such known
and not-so-known shrines that you can pay a visit to.
Lingaraja Temple
One of the oldest temples situated in the capital Bhubaneswar,
this is a Hindu shrine dedicated to Harihara (a form of Shiva and Vishnu).
Built in Deula style, it comprises of four components – Vimana (the sanctum),
Jagamohana (the assembly hall), Natamandira (festival hall)
and Bhoga-mandapa (the hall of offerings).
It represents Kalinga architecture
and is the largest temple in the city (about 180 ft tall).
It still practises active worship unlike most other temples in Bhubaneswar.
How to get there:
Located in the old city section of Bhubaneshwar
and is easily accessible by local buses or taxis.
Rajarani Temple
Built in the 11th century,
Rajarani takes its name from the local red
and yellow sandstone used to build it.
Though it does not include any image of the deity in the sanctum anymore,
it is famous for the tall and slender
nayikas (temple figures) carved in its walls,
which also serve as evidence to its strong associations with Lord Shiva
and Parvati.
With the beautiful, well-kept lawn in front and less crowds,
you are sure to fall in love with this “Love Temple”,
as it is popularly called,
due to its unique Kalinga-Chariot style architecture and majestic dimensions.
How to get there:
The Biju Patnaik airport is just 6kms away as
is the nearest railway station.
You can also take a bus from Bermunda bus stand
Marichi Temple
It is a Hindu and Buddhist temple
located in the historic Ajodhya in Baleswar.
With a lion at the entrance
and a Buddhist stupa adorning the structure,
the central icon is worshipped as Durga –
the image bearing close resemblance to the Mahayana goddess Marichi.
As a result Durga Puja is celebrated grandly in this temple.
It is a newly built pidha vimana and mainly houses old icons like
the four handed Varahi, Buddha and Avalokitesvara (Jain tirthankara).
How to get there:
Located 9 kms away from Sajanagarh
the nearest rail head is at Baleshwar, which is 30 kms away.
Mukteswar Temple
Often described as one of the jewels of Orissa,
the Mukteswar temple is an important landmark
to the architectural development of the capital city.
Built in the 10th century and dedicated to Lord Shiva,
it is also built in Deula style like the Lingaraja Temple,
and resembles the Kalinga architecture.
A three day yearly dance festival called
the “Mukteswar Dance Festival” in the temple premises is
one of the major reasons
why you should definitely visit this particular shrine.
How to get there:
Located in the old city area of Bhubaneshwar
it is easily accessible by taxi or by buses from Kalpana Square
Dhabaleswar Temple
Situated about 27 kilometres from Cuttack,
it is one of the easiest and most enjoyable weekend tours in Orissa.
Resembling Kalinga architecture and dedicated to Lord Shiva,
the Dhabaleswar Temple
inspires spiritual feelings amidst.
It’s tranquil ambience surrounded by the hills and greenery on its sides.
Dhabala meaning white and Eeswar meaning God,
the name is a reminder of the many miracles performed by Shiva.
Festivals like Shivaratri,
Dol Purnima
and Karthik Purnima are some of the major attractions of this temple.
How to get there:
Located in Dhauli,
this temple can be accessed by buses from Master Canteen bus stop
So make sure you include these names in your list
as well and be amazed at their sheer beauty
and grandeur the next time you visit the temple city orissa
All pictures courtesy contributors to Wikimedia Commons
