Lingaraj temple is one of
the most popular temples of Orissa. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva,
also known as ‘Lingaraj’. It is adorned with beautiful sculptures, which
have been carved on the spire. Lingaraja temple is approximately 54.8
metres high and enshrines a huge statue of Lord Shiva, made up of granite.
The idol is 8 feet in diameter and is placed on a platform that is about 8
inches above ground. The deity is bathed everyday with water, milk and
bhang (marijuana).
Lingaraj temple of Bhubaneswar is believed to date back to the later half
of eleventh century. However, some people are of the belief that, some
parts of the temple have been there since the sixth century. It is also
said that the temple was constructed by Jajati Keshari, the SomaVanshi
King. However, there are no historical records to authenticate the claim.
The high walls of Lingaraja temple, that have been made by using solid red
sandstones, lend it the look of a fortress, when viewed from outside.
On the eastern side of the temple, lies its solitary entrance point, which
is commonly known as the ‘Simhadwara’ or the ‘Lions' Gate’. One of the
oldest temples of Bhubaneshwar, Lingaraja has 150 smaller shrines inside
its huge courtyard. Lingaraj temple is basically made up of four parts,
namely the main temple, the 'Yajna Shala', the 'Bhoga Mandap' and the 'Natya
Shala'. Along with Lord Shiva, it also enshrines Lord Vishnu, in the form
of Saligramam idol. The main gates of the temple have Lord Shiva’s Trishul
on one side and Lord Vishnu’s Chakra on the other.
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Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneswar
