Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneswar, Odisha

Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneswar Overview

The Lingaraj Temple is an ancient temple situated in the city of Bhubaneswar and is the largest one situated in the city. Dedicated to Lord Shiva as the name suggests, the temple was built in the 7th century by King Jajati Keshari. It is highly revered because of the fact that the Linga here, a manifestation of Lord Shiva, is believed to have appeared naturally. It rises to a massive height of 8 inches above the floor level and is about 8 feet in diameter as well. Lingaraj Temple is located in the old part of Bhubaneswar Town and can be easily reached using local transport.

The edifice of the temple is a great example of the Odissi style of architecture and has intricately designed stone vaults covering the main sanctum of the temple.  A small temple dedicated to Goddess Bhagawati is located in the northwest corner of the courtyard as well. However, entry is restricted to the followers of the Hindu faith only. The Lingaraj Temple is especially famous for its Mahashivratri celebrations when the whole sanctum is dressed up in flowers, lanterns, and lights. The temple has as many as 6,000 visitors on a daily basis with Shivratri being a major day of celebrations when this number surges to as many as 200,000 visitors.

Lingaraj Temple as we know today is believed to have been in place since the 11th century. This shrine was erected by King Jajati Keshari when he shifted his military capital to Bhubaneshwar from Jaipur. However, the historians believe that the temple existed since the 6th century in some other form, as it has been referred to in the 7th-century manuscript, Brahma Puran, focusing on the significance of Lord Shiva in Bhubaneshwar. According to historians, the temple also puts some light on how the peaceful worship of Lord Vishnu and Shiva co-existed during the ancient period.