City of architecture-OLD TOWN BHUBANESWAR

Tripoto
18th Mar 2018
Photo of City of architecture-OLD TOWN BHUBANESWAR by Siva Prasad

The capital of the eastern state of Odisha, Bhubaneswar has a history that stretches back to over 2000 years.

It was the ancient capital of Kalinga, and Dhauli near Bhubaneswar is the place where the famous battle was fought between Emperor Ashoka and the Kalinga army, after which Ashoka followed Buddhism.

Bhubaneshwar, the 'city of temples', named after Tribhuvaneswar, 'Lord of Three Worlds', still preserves over 500 of India's finest temples, around which the religious life of the city revolves.

Photo of City of architecture-OLD TOWN BHUBANESWAR 1/1 by Siva Prasad

So, me and my two friends decided to explore around 60 temple in one day. We started our journey from Talcher Railway Station at morning 5:30 AM and reached Bhubaneswar at 9:00 AM.

We booked a cab to Ravi Talkies Square from Bhubaneswar railway station in only 80 rupees. We eat some tiffin there and started our journey.

Our 1st destination was Mukteswar temple. It is a 10th-century Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. The temple dates back to 950–975 CE and is a monument of importance in the study of the development of Hindu temples in Odisha.

Photo of Muktesvara Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Muktesvara Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

Our 2nd destination was Siddheswara temple. It was built in the 15th century AD.

Photo of Siddheswara Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Siddheswara Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

3rd destination was Parshurameswara temple. It is one of the Parashurameshvara group of temples, considered to be the oldest temples in Bhubaneswar. Some historians believe Parashurameshvara Temple to have been built in the early 8th century CE.

Photo of Parshurameshwara Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Parshurameshwara Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Parshurameshwara Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

4th destination was Daiteswara temple. It was built in 10th century AD.

Photo of Daitesvara Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

5th destination was Kedargouri temple. The temple is surrounded by Dutiya Kedaresvara on its west at a distance of 500 meters, Kedara kunda on its east at a distance of 0.50 meters, Gouri temple on its southern at a distance of 6.00 meters and compound wall on its northern side at a distance of 20.00 metres.

Photo of Kedar Gouri Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

6th destination was Swarna jaleswara temple. It was built in 7th century AD.

Photo of Swarna Jaleshwar Mandir, Kedar Gouri Lane, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Swarna Jaleshwar Mandir, Kedar Gouri Lane, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Swarna Jaleshwar Mandir, Kedar Gouri Lane, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

7th destination was Kotitirtheswara temple. It was built in 15th century AD.

Photo of Kotitirtheswara Temple & Pond, Kotitirtha Lane, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Kotitirtheswara Temple & Pond, Kotitirtha Lane, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

8th destination was Subarna jaleswara temple. It was built in 10th century AD by somavanshi kings.

Photo of Subarna Jaleswara Temple (ସୁବର୍ଣ୍ଣଜଳେଶ୍ବର) Parking, Kotitirtha Lane, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

9th destination was Sampurna jaleswara temple. It was built in 11th century AD by somavanshi kings.

Photo of Sampurna Jaleswara Temple, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Sampurna Jaleswara Temple, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

10th destination was Ambika temple. It was built in 12th century.

Photo of Ambika Mandira, Kotitirtha Lane, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

11th destination was Champakeswara temple. The temple dates back to 13th century A.D. The temple has a lot of significance in the past as well as today. It was of significance during the Ganga period.It is 157 metres west of Parasuramesvara on the right side of the Kotitirthesvara lane leading to Bindu sagara. It is a laterite temple. Local people believe that the enshrined Siva lingam is patalaphuta and the precinct is the abode of nagas(champa naga) after whom the deity is named as Champakesvara. The local people also believe that the temple precinct which is a den for the snakes do not harm any body. Watching temple we forget to take pics of the temple. But we got a pic from google.

Photo of City of architecture-OLD TOWN BHUBANESWAR by Siva Prasad

12th destination was Maa Duarabasini temple. It is famous for its shrine.

Photo of Maa Duara Basini, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

13th destination was Taleswara temple. It was built in 10th century.

Photo of Taleswara Temple, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

14th destination was Pataleswara temple. It is built in 12th century.

Photo of Pataleswara Temple, Dundia Thakurani Lane, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

15th destination was Astasambhu temple complex. It is situated beside the Godabari pond. The temple is surrounded by Uttameswara temple, Uttarayani Temple and Bhimeswara temple. Which are our 16th, 17th and 18th destination respectively.

Photo of Ashtashambhu Siva Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

19th destination was Nilakantheswara temple. It is built in 16th century.

Photo of Nilakantheswara Temple, Bindu Sagar Road, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

Our 20th and 21st destination was Vaital temple and Sisireswara temple respectively. Vaital temple dates back to 8th century AD.

Photo of Vaital Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Vaital Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Vaital Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

Our 21st destination was Sisireswara temple. It is built in 8th century.

Photo of Sisireswara Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

Destination no 22 was Bharati matha. The temple is a Hindu monastery with three stories which was built in the 11th century AD. It is currently used for living Matha purposes and earlier it was used as a Hindu pilgrimage centre.

entrance of matha

Photo of Bharati Matha, Khurda Town, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

23rd destination was Yameswara temple. We took rest of 10 mins in this temple. It was built in 10th century AD.

Photo of Yameshwar Temple, Lingaraj Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Yameshwar Temple, Lingaraj Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Yameshwar Temple, Lingaraj Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Yameshwar Temple, Lingaraj Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

24th destination was Bakreswara temple. It was built in 11th century AD.

Photo of Bakresvara Temple, Khurda Town, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

25th destination was Papanasini temple. It is beside the world famous Lingaraj temple. It is 11th century temple.

Photo of Papanasini Temple ପାପନସିନୀ ମଂଦିର, Lingaraj Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

26th destination was Makareswara Temple. It was built in 12th century.

Photo of Papanasini Temple, Lingaraj Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

27th destination was Langaleswara temple. It was built by somavansi in 10th century AD.

Photo of Langaleswara Temple, Lingaraj Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

28th destination was Aisaneswara temple. Which is not in use now. It was built in 11th century.

Photo of Aisaneswara Temple, Lingaraj Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

29th destination was Maa Dakhina Chandi temple. It was a ancient shrine temple.

Photo of MAA DAKHINCHANDI TEMPLE, Lingaraj Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

30th destination was Byomakeswara temple. It is located in front of the Lingaraj Temple across the road in the left side of the eastern gateway at a distance of 10.00 m. The temple faces towards the west. It is a living temple and the enshrined deity is a Siva lingam with a circular yonipitha at the centre of the sanctum. At present the sanctum is 1.50 m below the present road level. It is a recently recovered temple that had been buried. It was built in 10th century.

Photo of City of architecture-OLD TOWN BHUBANESWAR by Siva Prasad

31st destination was Lingaraj temple. It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Harihara, another name for Lord Siva is the biggest of all at Bhubaneswar is located within a spacious compound wall of laterite measuring 520 feet by 465 feet. The wall is 7 feet 6 inches thick and surmounted by a plain slant coping. Alongside the inner face of the boundary wall there runs a terrace probably meant to protect the compound wall against outside aggression.

Photo of Lingaraj Temple Bhubaneswar, Lingaraj Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Lingaraj Temple Bhubaneswar, Lingaraj Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

32nd and 33rd destinations are Ekamreswara and Sureswara mahadev respectively. These temples situated oposite to each other in two sides of road leading from lingaraj temple to garage chouk .

34th destination was Gourisanakr temple. It was built in 15th century AD.

Photo of Gouri Shankar Shiva Temple, Bindu Sagar Road, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Gouri Shankar Shiva Temple, Bindu Sagar Road, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

35th destination was Chitrakarini temple. It was built in 10th century. Goddess chamunda worshiped in this temple.

Photo of Chitrakarini Temple, Lingaraj Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

36th destination was Sukasari temple. It was built in 10th century. This temple is now closed.

Photo of Sukasari Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

37th destination was Sari temple.It situated right beside the sukasari temple. It was built in 10th century AD.

Photo of Sari Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

38th destination was Mohini temple. Chamunda goddess worshiped in this temple. This temple dates back to 9th century AD.

Photo of Mohini Temple, Rath Road, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

39th destination Budha deula. The original temple was destroyed.

Photo of Budha Deula (ବୁଢା ଦେଉଳ), Bindu Sagar Road, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

40th destination was Markandeswar temple. This temple belongs to 10th century AD.

Photo of Markandeshwar Siva Temple, Rath Road, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

41st destination was Akhadachandi temple.The temple is surrounded by Bindusagar tank in the east at a distance of 6.40 metres, Markandeya temple in the west and private residential buildings in the southern side. The temple faces south and the presiding deity faces east. This temple belongs to 10th century.

Photo of Akhadachandi Temple, Bindu Sagar Road, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

42nd destination was Dakarabivisaneswar temple. The sub-shrine, Dakara Bibhisaneswar Temple which exists since the construction of Lingaraj Temple in the 11th century, is located closed to the famous Shiva shrine.

Photo of Dakara Bivisaneswara Temple, Basisthanagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

43rd destination was Purbeswar temple. The enshrining deity is a broken Lingam within a circular Yonipitha at the centre of the sanctum, which is 1.07 metres below the present ground level. It is a living temple and now under the care and maintenance of Purvesvara Temple Development Association of that locality. The caretaker of the temple is Dipu Panigrahi. According to local tradition, the presiding deity is known as Purvesvara as it is situated towards the east of Lingaraj.

Photo of Purbeshwar Mandir, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha by Siva Prasad

44th destination Khrakhia Baidyanath temple. Kharakhia Vaidyanatha Precinct has a big Siva lingam within a big spherical yonipitha made from stone over an elevated stand that is now preserved under a Pipal tree. It must be noted that there is no hint of superstructure on the lingam. The divinity is so named due to the fact that it is open to sky with sun rays falling incessantly over it all day (Kharakhia).

Photo of Kharakhia Baidyanath Shiv Temple, Lingaraj Temple Road, Basisthanagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

45th destination Kapileswar temple. It is located at the end of Kapilesvara road leading from Lingaraj temple to Kapilesvara Village. The temple is situated within the precinct along with 33 other monuments. The precinct is located on the northern embankment of Manikarnika tank over an area of 44.00 square metres.

Photo of Kapileshwar Mandir, Kapileswar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

46th destination was Sukhmeswar temple. It was built in 16th century AD.

Photo of Shree Shree Sukhmeswar Temple, Sriram Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

47th destination Debipadahara temple complex. Here you can find mre than 100 sivalingas in one place.

Photo of Debi Padahara Pond, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Debi Padahara Pond, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

48th destination Lakhyeswar temple. Which is built in 16th century AD.

Photo of Lakhyeswara Siva Temple, Ganga-Jamuna Road, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

49th destination Ganga Jamuna temple. It was built in 15th century.

Photo of Ganga Jamuna Temple (ଗଙ୍ଗା ଯମୁନା ମନ୍ଦିର), Ganga-Jamuna Road, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

50th destination was Tirtheswar temple. It was built in 11th century.

Photo of Tirtheshwara Temple, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

51st destination was BhavaniShankar temple. It was built in 16th century.

Photo of Bhavani Sankara Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

52nd destination was Bindu sagar and Bramha temple. Bindusagar is located in the right side of the Talabazar road leading from Kedargouri Chowk to Lingaraja Temple, Old Town, Bhubaneswar.

Photo of Bindu Sagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha by Siva Prasad

53rd destination was Ananta Vasudev temple. A perfect dedicated temple to Lord Krishna, ananta vasudeva temple is situated in Bhubaneshwar, in India. It was constructed in 13th century, which was built by Queen Chandrika.

Photo of Ananta Vasudev Mandir, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Ananta Vasudev Mandir, Gouri Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

Then we get back to Ravi Talkies Squre and booked a Ola cab towards Megheswar temple. It was our 54th destination. The Megheswar Temple is a 12th-century Hindu temple dedicated to the God Shiva.[1] The temple is a living temple located in Tankapani Road area of Bhubaneswar city in India.

Photo of Megheswar Temple, Pandav Nagar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

55th destination was Bhaskareswar temple. Here we can see a nine feet siva lingam. It was built by gangas in 12th century CE.

Photo of Bhaskareswara Mandir, Badagada Brit Colony, Pandav Nagar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

Our 56th destination was Bramheswar temple. It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, erected at the end of the 9th century CE, is richly carved inside and out.

Photo of Brahmeswar Temple, Siba Nagar, Brahmeswarpatna, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

Our 57th destination was Rajarani temple. It is an 11th-century Hindu temple. The Department of Tourism of the Government of Odisha organises a Rajarani music festival at the temple every year from January 18 to 20.

We took 30 min rest in the garden of this temple clicked some awesome pics. The ticket price to enter this temple is Rs.15.

Photo of Rajarani Temple, Rajarani Colony, Rajarani Temple, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Rajarani Temple, Rajarani Colony, Rajarani Temple, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Rajarani Temple, Rajarani Colony, Rajarani Temple, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

Rajarani temple was also known as Love temple

Photo of Rajarani Temple, Rajarani Colony, Rajarani Temple, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad
Photo of Rajarani Temple, Rajarani Colony, Rajarani Temple, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

Our 58th destination was Nageswar temple. It is situated on the western right bank of the Lingaraja West Canal. Local residents believe the temple was built by the Kesharis.

Photo of Nageshwar Temple, Nageswar Tangi, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India by Siva Prasad

We got late for our train so we stoped our exploration and get back to the station at 4:30 PM. We missed many temples but we explored many temples. At the last we have only one question in our mind who constructed all these temples and siva lingas at same place and why? I didn't understand this yet. I reached my at 9:30 PM. You can book a bike, scooty or moped to explore all these. I got map near parshurameswar temple of all temples and their location. I'm uploading that in this blog. If want to explore all these then go and explore all.

Photo of City of architecture-OLD TOWN BHUBANESWAR by Siva Prasad
Photo of City of architecture-OLD TOWN BHUBANESWAR by Siva Prasad

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