ODE To The Gods

Explore the temples of odisha and uncover myriad stories etched in stone and also travel on the famous buddhist circuit.

Odisha is home to some of India’s best kept cultural secrets nestled between the shimmering waters of the Bay of Bengal and the dense forested hills of the Eastern Ghats. Known the world over for its architectural wonders, its ancient temples are some of the finest examples of Indo-Aryan Nagara temple architecture. Also, travel to experience the state’s Buddhist connection. The earliest references to the Buddha are in the Buddhist chronicles in which his hair relics, and the nail and tooth relics are mentioned. Chinese traveller Hieun Tsang, who visited India in the seventh century, wrote a vivid account of Buddhism flourishing in Odra (the ancient name of Odisha).

TEMPLES

Lingaraja Temple Bhubaneswar, the city of temples, is dotted with shrines around the vast Bindu Sagar lake, the Lingaraja Temple being the largest in the city. Built of red sandstone by King Jajati Keshari of the Somvanshi dynasty, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is sprawled over a 250,000-sq-ft courtyard, skirted by a fortified wall. A unique aspect of the temple is the self-manifested granite linga which is worshipped as HariHara, a combination of Vishnu and Shiva.

Rajarani Temple The 11th-century east-facing Rajarani Temple in Bhubaneswar, though bereft of any deity in its sanctum sanctorum, is one of the most beautiful temples representing a unique facet of Odisha’s architecture. It rises to a height of 18 metres. The temple is remarkable for its sculptural excellence, profuse ornamentation, exuberant architectural features and multiple scroll work.