Location : Bhubaneswar, Orissa.
History
The
Lingaraja Temple is one of ancient India's architectural greatness of the
11th century. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Lingam placed here is unique in
itself. The lingam is Hari Hara Lingum, which means that it is a symbol of
half Shiva and half Vishnu. The 1000 years old temple also has a connection
with Tribhubaneswar or the Lord of the three worlds. Thought to be built by
the Yayati rulers, inscriptions of the Kalinga king Ananga Bhima is found
here.
Architecture &Significance
Surrounded by high walls on all sides, the Lingaraja temple is located in a
spacious courtyard covering over 25,000 sq feet and is bounded by fortified
walls. Its tower rises up to 180 feet and is elaborately carved. The
Lingaraja temple at Bhubaneswar is one of the most well constructed
architectural excellence which the artisans had achieved during the 11th
century. The outer walls of the temple contains unparalleled stone carvings.
The sculpted images of various God and Goddess are unimaginable. The temple
complex has three compartments and each one dedicated to a deity of the
Hindu religion. Towards south of the entrance facing the main temple is the
image of Lord Ganesha, at the back is the image of Goddess Parvati and to
the north is Lord Kartikya. The various pillars and halls adds to its
beauty.
The architectural marvel consists of a Natya Mandir or the Hall of Dance,
Bhog Mandap, the Hall of offering, Jagamohan, the Porch and a 55 meter high
tower. The plastic coating and decoration of the temple is of equal genuine
workmanship, where all the splendid Orissan decorative motifs are mustered
with a rare aesthetic sense. The central lake Bindu Sagar is the nucleus of
the temple.
Other Attractions
» Bindu Sagar - To the north of the temple is the
Bindu Sagar lake which adds to the grace of the temple. Once a year the
Deity is submerged in the lake water for a ritual bath and hence forth, a
dip in the lake water is considered to remove all your sins. The scenic
beauty of the 1300 ft long and 700 ft wide is a pleasure for the travellers
with the stones along the embankments.
» Mukteswara Temple -
The
Mukteswara temple is regarded as one of the finest gem of Orissa's
architecture. It has been built in similar structure as 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 is housed
with a splendid collection of sculptures, coins, copper plates, stone
inscriptions, tools of the lithic and the bronze ages, manuscript written on
palm leaves, traditional and folk musical instruments. Apart from that the
art gallery has a rich reservoir of stone sculpture, patta paintings, grass
casting, horn toys and the famous filigree works of the state. The museum
also has the tribal cultural possessions as its charm that vividly describes
the life of the tribal cult.
North
India States
