Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneswar
लिंगराज मंदिर, भुवनेश्वर
📍 Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
🛕 Online darshan inside this temple: coming soon
The largest temple in Bhubaneswar, Lingaraj crowns the city's old town with a richly carved tower about 55 m high. Its self-born lingam is worshipped as Harihara, Shiva and Vishnu in one.
भुवनेश्वर का सबसे विशाल मंदिर — लगभग 55 मीटर ऊँचा नक्काशीदार शिखर, जहाँ स्वयंभू लिंग की हरिहर (शिव-विष्णु) रूप में पूजा होती है।
इतिहास History
The present temple dates from the late 11th century and is linked to the Somavamsi kings, traditionally to Yayati (Jajati Keshari), who moved his capital to Bhubaneswar. Its four halls stand in a line, rising in height toward the sanctum: the bhoga mandapa (hall of offerings), the natamandira (dance hall), the jagamohana (assembly hall) and the great rekha deula over the lingam.
The Eastern Ganga kings, who built the Jagannath temple at Puri, added the hall of offerings in the 12th century and brought in Vaishnava elements such as images of Vishnu. More than a hundred smaller shrines fill the walled courtyard. A temple trust board runs the temple, and the Archaeological Survey of India cares for the monument.
कथा The legend
Bhubaneswar is Ekamra Kshetra, the 'field of the single mango tree', for the lingam first lay hidden beneath a mango tree. Tradition says Shiva slipped away from crowded Kashi to meditate here in secret. Parvati found him by following cows that gave their milk to the hidden lingam. When she slew the demons Kirti and Vasa and grew thirsty, Shiva struck the ground with his trident and drew up a spring. Sanctified by the waters of every holy river, it became the Bindusagar lake.
दर्शनीय Don’t miss
- The rekha deula, carved over every inch of its height
- Bindusagar lake, where the deity goes boating during Chandan Yatra
- Bel and tulsi offered together to the Harihara lingam
- Entry is for Hindus only; a viewing platform beside the wall gives everyone a view of the towers
- Ananta Vasudeva and the other old temples of Ekamra Kshetra nearby
उत्सव Festivals
मंदिर दर्शन Temple story
The secrets of Lingaraj, from our YouTube series.
▶ Watch all 30 Temple Stories on YouTubePhoto: Arpitsatwik · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons