The
capital of Orissa is also regarded as the temple city of India. It is an
important Hindu pilgrimage place widely known for the Lingaraja temple. The
city of Bhubaneswar boast of more than 2000 temples built in its heart form
the time of the ancient era.
The city traces its history back to the 4th century during the time when it
was the capital of the Kalinga empire. It also was endowed with the
privilege of being the capital of the Sailodbhava kings and the period was
termed as the golden age of Bhubaneswar.
Climate
Bhubaneswar can be visited round the year but the ideal time is between
October to March. The average temperature in the summers can be as high as
up to 40°C. The winters are pleasant with minimum temperature around 16
°C while it has a warm summer.
Major Attractions
» Lingaraja Temple - The Temple is counted among the
architectural greatness of the 11th century. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the
Lingam placed here is astonishing in itself. The lingam is Hari Hara Lingum,
which means that it is symbolical to half Shiva and half Vishnu. The temple
is in the name of Tribhubaneswar or the lord of the Three worlds. The
Lingaraja temple is located in a spacious courtyard covering over 25,000 sq
feet and is bounded by fortified walls. It is a reflection of the
architectural excellence of ancient India.
» Siddharanya -The complex that houses 20 temples
includes the famed Mukteswar temple and the Siddeswar Temple. The complex
also has in its vicinity the temple of Prashumeswar, a well maintained 7th
century temple decorated with beautiful carvings.
» Bindu Sagar -The Bindu Sagar lake lies to the
north of the Lingaraja temple and its beautiful location adds to the grace
and beauty of the temple. Once a year the deity of the temple is submerged
in the lake water for a ritual bath and hence, a dip in the lake water is
considered to be pure and divine that has the power to remove the sins. The
scenic beauty of the 1300 ft long and 700 ft wide lake with the stones laid
along the embankments is a pleasure for the travellers.
» Mukteswara Temple -
One
of the finest gem of the capital city, it has been constructed in the
structure of the Kalinga School of temple architecture. Dedicated to Lord
Shiva, the Mukteswara temple is carved out of postures of ascetics in
various forms of meditation. A dip in the sacred well that lies to the east
of the temple is said to be a cure for infertility.
» The Museum and Art Gallery - The museum houses a
splendid collection of sculptures, coins, copper plates, stone inscriptions,
tools of the lithic and the bronze ages. Also found are manuscript written
on palm leaves with traditional and folk musical instruments. Apart from
that the art gallery has a rich reservoir of sculpture of stones, patta
paintings, grass casting, horn toys and the famous filigree works of the
state. The museum also preserves the tribal cultural possessions as it
vividly describes the life of the tribal cult.
North
India States
