Temples and Deities of Odisha (Orissa)

Sri Lokanath Mandir

Sri Lokanath Mandir

Sri Lokanath temple is one of the most important Shaiva shrines of Odisha. The temple is situated near the Jagannath temple of Puri. As per local people this temple was established by Lord Ramachandra. From the architectural point of view, the temple is not so important but from the religious point of view, it occupies an important position in the cultural history of Odisha.

The legend says that Lord Rama on his way to Lanka for searching Sita reached Puri. At that time Sabaras(a native of the village) presented him a Lau or Lauka(Pumpkin) looking like a Siva Linga, Lord Rama installed that as the replica of Siva Linga at that place and prayed Siva to fulfill his desire. From that day this Siva Linga was called Laukanatha. It is believed that the word Lokanatha is a later innovation from the original word Laukanatha.

Alarnath Temple

Alarnath Temple

Located in Brahmagiri, The Alarnath Temple is a revered shrine dedicated to Lord Vishnu or Lord Alaranth as he is known locally. The present temple is a 14th-century shrine attributed to Rajputs from Alwar. The Rajputs settled in Western Odisha between 1300 AD & 1400 AD. The name Alarnath is derived from Alwarnath. According to the legend, Lord Alarnath is the form of Vishnu- carved out of black stone-as prescribed by the Lord himself to Brahma. It is believed that those who cannot worship Lord Jagannath during his stay in the sick chamber can get the blessings of the deity if they visit the Alarnath temple. This particular legend has its roots in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Chaitanya claimed that he visualized the appearance of Lord Jagannath in Lord Alarnath and spent a long period of worshiping the deity here.

Sakhigopal Temple

Sakhigopal Temple

One of the sacred tourist destinations of Odisha, Sakhigopal is a village of historical importance which is situated 19 km. north of Puri. The name Sakhi Gopal literally means witness Gopal(Srikrishna). The temple of Sakhigopal is 60 ft height & the image of Shri Krishna and Radha is 5 ft & 4ft height respectively. It is surrounded by Sasanas or Brahmins settlements and is the center of trade of coconuts. Anla Navamee is the biggest festival of the center, which attracts a large crowd every year to witness Radha Pada(feet of Goddess Radha).

Ramachandi Temple

Ramachandi Temple

Ramachandi Temple is on a beautiful spot on the banks of the Kusabhadra River where it flows into the Bay of Bengal. It is only 5 km away from Konark in the Puri District of Odisha. Ramachandi is popularly believed the presiding deity of Konark and the most benevolent Chandi known. It is certainly more ancient than the Sun temple at Konark. From the architectural point of view, the temple of Ramachandi is not important but from the religious point of view, it is one of the famous Shakti pithas of Puri.

Sun Temple

Sun Temple

Konark Sun Temple is situated in the eastern state of Odisha, India and is one of the eminent tourist attractions. Konark houses a massive temple dedicated to the Sun God. The word Konark is a combination of two words Kona and Arka. Kona means Corner and Arka means Sun, so when combines it becomes Sun of the Corner. Konark Sun Temple is situated in the northeastern corner of Puri and is dedicated to Sun God. Konark is also known as Arka kshetra.

Sun Temple of Konark, built in the middle of the 13th century, is a massive conception of artistic magnificence and engineering dexterity. King Narasimhadeva-I, the great ruler of the Ganga dynasty had built this temple, with the help of 1200 artisans within a period of 12 years(1243-1255 AD).

Wooden Sun Temple

Wooden Sun Temple

Famously called as the wooden Konark, this wooden masterpiece of temple architecture is dedicated to Biranchi Narayan – the Sun god. The temple was built by the Ghumusar King Srikar Bhanja after he ascended the throne in 1790.

The temple is built like a chariot drawn by seven horses. The exquisite wood carvings and paintings on the walls are the high points of the temple. One peculiar aspect of the temple is that it's West facing unlike other sun temples which are east facing. The temple is designed in such a way that the last ray of the sun falls on the temple.

Parashurameswar Temple

Parashurameswar Temple

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Parsurameswar temple is one of the ancient Hindu temples of Bhubaneswar city in Odisha. It is believed that the temple was constructed in around 650 AD, in Nagara style. Tourists from all parts of the globe come to unravel the mystery behind the temple.

Rajarani Temple

Rajarani Temple

Rajarani Temple in Bhubaneswar boasts of distinctive charm. It was constructed in the 11th century from reddish and yellow sandstone called Rajarani in the local dialect. Also, the shrine is famous amongst the natives as the Love Temple because of the erotic carvings of couples and women in the sanctum sanctorum.

The temple was initially known as Indreswara temple devoted to the worship of Lord Shiva.

Lingaraj Temple

Lingaraj Temple

The Lingaraj Temple is an ancient temple situated in the city of Bhubaneswar and is the largest one situated in the city. Dedicated to Lord Shiva as the name suggests, the temple was built in the 7th century by King Jajati Keshari. It is highly revered because of the fact that the Linga here, which is the phallic form of Lord Shiva, is believed to have appeared naturally. It rises to a massive height of 8 inches above the floor level and is about 8 feet in diameter as well.

Mukteswar Temple

Mukteswar Temple

Built-in the 10th century, Mukteswar temple belongs to the Somavamshi Dynasty and is believed to be sculpted by Yayati-I. Mukteshvara Temple also emerged as a popular religious tourist attraction in Odisha for its architecture which symbolizes the innovation in Kalinga style of architecture. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Vaital Temple

Vaital Temple

Vaital Deula or Baitala Deuḷa is an ancient Hindu temple situated on the banks of Bindu Sarovara in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Locally known as Tini Mundia Mandira, it is one of the oldest temples in Bhubaneswar.

The Vaital Temple is an 8th century temple of the typical Khakara style of Kalinga School of architecture. This is one of the rare temples in India that was used as a shrine devoted to the tantric cult. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Chamundi, the tantric form of Goddess Durga.

Ananta Basudeva Temple

Ananta Basudeva Temple

Constructed in the 13th century, this Ananta Vasudeva temple Bhubaneswar is a perfect platform for Lord Krishna, who is a well-known avatar of Lord Vishnu. A perfect dedicated temple to Lord Krishna, Ananta Vasudeva temple is situated in Bhubaneshwar, in India. It was constructed in the 13th century, which was built by Queen Chandrika. She was the queen of the Eastern Ganga dynasty and was the first person to prompt and construct this temple.

Harishankar Temple

Harishankar Temple

Sri Harishankar Devasthana, is a temple on the slopes of Gandhamardhan hills, Odisha in India. It is popular for its scenes of nature and connection to two Hindu lords, Vishnu and Shiva.

A perennial stream bursting into droplets rushes on its hard granite bed to form cascades at different stages. As a cool resort in the lap of nature, Harishankar is an ideal place for the heat of the summer season.

Huma Temple

Huma's Leaning Temple

The leaning temple of Huma is located on the banks of river Mahanadi, near a village called Sambalpur in Odisha. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the unique attractions of the state.

There are no facts which can prove it and nor it is a technical construction flaw as Odisha has innumerable temples built during Raja Balaram Deb's era and he was known to build enormous temples.

Nrusingnath Temple

Nrusingnath Temple

The Vidala-Nrusinghha Temple stands amidst the verdant beauty of the picturesque Gandhamardan hills. Nrusinghanath is a popular and attractive pilgrim point. Coupled with a series of beautiful waterfalls and some sculptures, its location offers an air of serenity and visual delight, making the trip worthwhile.

It is only 165 km away from Sambalpur. The present temple, situated at the source of the Papaharini stream, is a 14th century structure built on a more very old site. The four pillars within the Jagmohana suggest that the earlier temple was built in the 9th century. The beautiful doorframes have been dated to the 11th century.

Yogini Temple

Yogini Temples(Hirapur, Ranipur Jhariat)

Chausathi Yogini Temple is situated at Hirapur, near Bhubaneswar. What makes this temple quite unique is that it's the first 64 Yogini temple in India & from here it spread to other states. And, its the smallest temple among the list of four major surviving 64 Yogini temples in India, among which two are in Odisha, at Ranipur-Jharial(9th cent), Bolangir. The rest two are at Khajuraho(9th cent) & Jabalpur(10th cent) in Madhya Pradesh.

The Ranipur-Jharial temple was built with coarse-grained inferior sandstone, which is a bit eroded. Now the temple is said to have been constructed somewhere around 900 AD, as is suggested by the Somesvara shrine at the foot of the hill alongside the tank.

Pataleswar Temple

Pataleswar Temple

Budhikomna houses the famous temple of Pataleswar made of bricks in Pancharatha style unique in the state. A connoisseur of art and architecture finds immense pleasure in observing the different facets of this place. It is also a popular pilgrim center in the locality, but due to lack of minimum infrastructure facility tourists as well as pilgrims suffer a lot.

Samaleswari Temple

Samaleswari Temple

Maa Samaleswari, the presiding deity of Sambalpur, is a strong religious force in the western part of Odisha and Chhattisgarh state of India. On the bank of the river Mahanadi, the mother goddess Samaleswari is worshipped from ancient times as Jagatjanani, Adishakti, Mahalaxmi and Mahasaraswati. The region in which the temple is situated has a rich cultural heritage. Sambalpur region is popularly known as Hirakhanda from ancient times.

Ladubaba Temple

Ladubaba Temple

Ladu Baba temple was built during the 13th Century AD. Formerly, the temple was known as Kainchhi Temple. Ladukeswara or Ladu Baba temple is one of the well-known examples of syncretism of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva in Nayagarh hills. The temple is located 30 m north of Chitrakarini temple and 70 m south of Mohini temple and it faces towards the east. The Sanctum of the temple is devoid of any deity. However, the sculptural ornamentation on the exteriors suggests that the temple was originally dedicated to Lord Shiva and here Lord is worshiped as Ladukeswara.

Raghunathjew Temple

Raghunathjew Temple

Raghunatha temple is a famous and old temple of Odagaon, which is 26 km far from Nayagarh. It is one of the famous temples in Odisha dedicated to Lord Ramachandra. This temple has beautiful wooden idols of Sri Raghunath, Sita and Laxman enshrined in it. The Kalash of the temple is made of pure gold. A popular legend associated with the temple states that famed poet 17th century, Kavisamrat Upendra Bhanja, had composed his magnum opus- Baidehisha Vilas, here at the feet of Sri Raghunath.

Bhagabati Temple

Bhagabati Temple

Goddess Bhagabati, the presiding deity of the place Banpur has earned celebrity as a center of religious activities.Once it was the Capital of Sailodhvaba dynasty, responsible for the construction of the early group of temples at Bhubaneswar. The large number of Buddhist images discovered at Banpur relate the place to the Vajrayana cult of Buddhism. The temple of Daksha-Prajapati is a fine specimen of the extraordinary artistic excellence of Odisha art.

Gupteswar Temple

Gupteswar Temple

Maintaining its authenticity as an unexplored shrine in a cave is the Gupteswar Temple of Odisha. Settled in the Koraput District, it is a famous tourist attraction due to the presence of a huge Shiva Lingam which increases in size as per local belief. It is located around 55 km away from Jeypore and is renowned as a popular pilgrimage site in Odisha.

Nilamadhaba Temple

Nilamadhaba Temple

It is an ancient and popular Lord Vishnu temple located nearby the banks of River Mahanadi. The temple's overall complex and structure is quite similar to the famous Lord Jagannath temple.

This temple is a miniature form of the Sri Jagannath Temple at Puri and observes similar rites rituals. One can also find amazing brass and bell metal crafts here, which are lovingly carried by many visitors as souvenirs. A permanent flow of holy water flows from the feet of Lord Nilamadhaba. Lord Siddheswar is also a highlight of this place. Kantilo is one of the most popular picnic spots in Odisha.

Baladevjew Temple

Baladevjew Temple

Baladev Jew Temple is situated in Ichhapur(Tulasi Kshetra), Kendrapara, Odisha. Baladevjew Temple is a very famous temple of Odisha and Balarama is its main divinity. Along with Lord Balarama, Jagannath and Subhadra are also worshiped in the Ratna Sinhasan in the main temple. The temple was built in 1761 AD during the Maratha rule in Odisha. The then king of Kanauja, Raja Gopal Sandha and Zamindar of Chhedara Killah, and Srinivas Narendra Mahapatra constructed the temple.

Chhatia Bata

Chhatia Bata

Chhatia Bata is one of the famous Hindu Temple of Odisha situated at Chhatia in Jajpur district of Odisha. The deity of this temple is Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra. The main attraction of this Temple is the old Banyan tree which is known as Bata in Odia Language. So the name of this temple is Chhatia Bata due to this old Banyan Tree which is present inside the temple boundary and beside the main temple of Chhatia Bata.

Cuttack Chandi Temple

Cuttack Chandi Temple

Dedicated to Goddess Bhuvaneshwari, fourth among the Ten Maha Vidyas, Cuttack Chandi Temple is a remarkable Hindu shrine. It rests on the banks of the River Mahanadi and has an interesting tale associated with it. Chandi Temple is popular for the major festivals of Kali Puja and Durga Puja. The idol of Maa Katak Chandi is placed at the center of the temple. Goddess Chandi has four hands and they are known as Pasa, Ankusha, Abhaya and Bara.

Dhabaleswar Temple

Dhabaleswar Temple

The temple is located on an island on the river Mahanadi 27 KM from Cuttack, the exotic surrounding makes this temple special. The foot over bridge like Laxman Jhula and Ram Jhula in Rishikesh over the river Mahanadi is an added attraction.

The origins of the temple are said to be around 10th or 11th century AD. The present-day temple was constructed by King Bir Kishore of Khurda around 1232 AD- it's said that during a hunting expedition the king discovered the temple in a dilapidated state and ordered for its renovation and allotted land for the temple.

Bhattarika Temple

Bhattarika Temple

Bhattarika Temple is a major attraction for the tourists and is dedicated to goddess Bhattarika, who is believed to be an incarnation of Shakti, the shrine is situated on the banks of the River Mahanadi. Bhattarika Temple is the shrine is situated on the banks of the River Mahanadi.

Charchika Temple

Charchika Temple

Charchika Temple is a 19th century old temple situated in the Banki town of Cuttack district in Odisha. Goddess Chamunda is worshiped in the temple. She is an eight-armed goddess, who is a manifestation of Maa Devi Durga. This temple is situated on the top of a hillock whose name is Ruchika Parvat on the bed of the Renuka river.

Maa Sarala Temple

Maa Sarala Temple

The Sarala Temple is a Hindu temple in the district of Jagatsinghpur, Odisha, India.

Believed as a synthesis of the divine figure of Durga and Saraswati, the culture of Sarala is an amalgamation of three principal Hindu cults namely Vedic, Tantrik and Vaishnavite. It is one of the eight most famous Shakta shrines of Odisha.

Panchalingeswar Temple

Panchalingeswar Temple

Perched atop of a hillock in Nilagari Hill in the Balasore district, Odisha, Panchalingeswar Temple is a Lord Shiva's temple which is named after the five lingas of Shiva that are installed inside this shrine. Panchalingeswar Saiva pitha is situated on a hillock with perennial streams falling on five natural Lingas. Its natural beauty attracts nature lovers and visitors. On reaching the top of the hillock, one has to bend down in order to look for the lingas inside a pool created by the waterfall. These lingas are continuously washed by the water of a perennial stream that flows over them.

Akhandalamani Temple

Akhandalamani Temple

On the bank of river Baitarani, Bhadrak district, the Akhandalamani Temple is the abode of Lord Shiva. As the history runs, king Niladri Samara Singha Mohapatra started worshiping the God Akhandalamani some 350 years ago, when the black glazed granite stone was found underground and the king dreamt of the god. However, the religious and historical significance with which the place is invested, constitute it to be a center of special interest in the tourism of Bhadrak.

Khirachora Gopinath Temple

Khirachora Gopinath Temple

It is famous as the Vaishnav shrine. Also, know as Remuna Gupta Vrindaban. It is surrounded by another famous Khirachora Gopinatha Temple that is situated in Remuna. The name Remuna is resulting from the word Ramaniya which means very good looking.

Kichakeswari Temple

Kichakeswari Temple

The ancient Kichakeswari Temple is located around 25km away from Karanjia, in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. Located near the confluence of the rivers Khairibandhana and Kantakhairi, the temple is one of the unique attractions of the region.

The ancient Kichakeswari Temple is located around 25km away from Karanjia, in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. Located near the confluence of the rivers Khairibandhana and Kantakhairi, the temple is one of the unique attractions of the region.

Taratarini Temple

Taratarini Temple

Situated 30 Km away from the Berhampur city, Ganjam district, this temple is recognized to be one of the four major Shakti pitha according to mythological texts of Satya Yuga.

The 6000 years of historical connections and also its mention in the Puranas make this temple an important pilgrim spot.

Kapilash Temple

Kapilash Temple

Kapilash Temple, a popular pilgrimage site located in the northeastern part of Dhenkanal town of Odisha. As per the Kapilash Temple Inscription, King Narsinghdeva-I of the Ganga dynasty was the main personality behind the construction of this temple. It was built in 1246 AD for Sri Chandrasekhara and is believed to be older than Chandrasekhar Temple.

Joranda Mahima Gadi

Joranda Mahima Gadi

Famous as the religious headquarters of Mahima Dharma, Joranda houses the samadhi of Mahima Gosain, the preacher and propounder of the Mahima Cult. The other sacred temples are the Sunya Mandira, Dhuni Mandira and Gadi Mandira. Pilgrims in large numbers pour into the Joranda fair for celebrations.

Shree Mandir

Shree Mandir(Lord Jagannath Temple)

The world-famous Jagannath temple is known in many names like Puri Dham, Srikshetra, Sri Mandira, Bada Deula, Sankha Kshetra, Nilachala Dham, Purusottama Khestra, Bhauma Vaikuntha, Narashima-Kshetra etc. The temple of Jagannatha is one of the tallest monuments in the entire. sub-continent of India and its height is about 214 feet from the ground level. The temple is bounded by two compound walls, the outer one known as Meghanada Prachira & the inner one known as Kurma Prachira. The present temple was built in the 12th century AD. The temple structure is full of excellent carvings and lovely pieces of sculpture and is a fine specimen of Kalinga style of architecture.

Asta Sambhu Temple

Astasambhu temple is a small temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Tiadi Sahi of Puri. In the local language Asta means Eight and Sambhu is another name of Lord Shiva. Astasambhu temple houses a cluster of eight Shiva lingas made of precious stones. Each one of them is of a different color. Some are white while some are red and black. Thus they are very attractive to devotees. The Shivalingas appear different in color when looked at from different directions.

Temple of Narasimha

It is an ancient temple, with local stating that Lord Narasimha manifested here before Lord Jagannath and His temple. There are two images of Lord Narasimha inside the temple, one behind the other. The image in front is called Santa Narasimha. In the local language Santa means Calm or Sober. Anyone who sees this image of Lord Narasimha will have his anger, frustration and anxiety will vanish. The Deity in the back is called Ugra Narasimha. In the local language Ugra means Angry. He is the internal mood of Narasimha.

Temple of Vimala

Goddess Vimala is regarded as the tantric consort of Lord Jagannath and is therefore believed to be another form of Goddess Laxmi. It is believed that she guards the temple complex and devotees should pay a visit to Goddess Vimala before seeking blessings of Lord Jagannath. The Vimala Temple is considered to be one of the most Shakti Pithas.

Temple of Lakshmi

The Lakshmi temple is one of the most famous temples of Puri. It is situated very close to the Jagannath temple. It is one of the busiest temples around the year. Lakshmi Temple plays a very important role during Rath Yatra and the rituals of the main Gundicha temple. On the fifth day of Rath Yatra, known as Hera Panchami, Goddess Lakshmi, in the form of Subarna Mahalakshmi, is carried in a palanquin and priests carry her to Gundicha temple to meet her Husband.

Mukti Mandap

Mukti Mandapa is a combination of two words Mukti and Mandapa. In Odia language Mukti means salvation or freedom and Mandapa means platform, so Mukti Mandapa means Platform for salvation or freedom. Mukti Mandapa is situated in front of Adi Nrusingha temple and by the southern side of Lord Jagannath Temple of Puri. Madala Panji, the chronicle of Jagannath Temple, mentions that it was built in the 15th century at the request of queen Gauri Mahadevi, the consort of King Mansingh of Jaipur who was the commander-in-chief of Mughal Emperor Akbar.

Kalpa Bata

There is a huge banyan tree in the inner enclosure which is called Kalpa Bata. It has been described in the Puranas that when the entire earth sank underwater, this tree was there. It is believed that if the devotee expresses his/her desire standing under the tree, the tree fulfills it.

The image of Sri Jagannath installed in a subsidiary shrine to the south of Kalpa Bata, the old Banyan Tree of the Grand Temple is adored and worshiped as Bata Jagannath. The age-old Banyan tree is worshiped in the Temple as Kalpa Bata. It is also known to devotees under the names of Banchha Bata, Akhyaya Bata, Bedanasan Bata, Bansi Bata and so on.

Rohini Kunda

Rohini Kunda is one of the Pancha Tirthas of Puri. This place is located inside Lord Jagannath temple and in front of Goddess Vimala temple. On the holy spot, there is a symbol of Wheel and a Crow of four feet. The water of the origin of the creation is known as Karana Water. This water is secretly stored in this Rohini Kunda. Another incident is also spoken by people about Rohini Kunda. After constructing the temple of Lord Jagannath King Indradyumna invited Brahma for its full-pledged stature. At that time King Galamadhava possessed the temple and demanded that the temple belonged to him. On the presence of Brahma, the dispute came to a close. Both the crow and the wheel witnessed on the side of King Indradyumna and stayed there forever. King Galamadhava remained on the holy water and prayed Lord Jagannath forever.

Temple Kitchen

Puri temple kitchen is considered as the largest and the biggest kitchen in the world. It is situated south-east direction of the outer compound of Shree Mandir. The length of the kitchen is 150 feet, breadth is 100 feet and height is about 20 feet. It consists of 32 rooms with 250 earthen ovens within these. Around 600 cooks(Suaras) and 400 assistants serve here every day for preparing Lord's food. There are three types of hearths in the kitchen of Shree Mandir such as Anna Chuli, Ahia Chuli and Pitha Chuli.

Four types of cooking are prepared in the kitchen of Shree Mandir. Those are Bhimapaka, Nalapaka, Souripaka and Gouripaka. The unique feature is that clay pots are placed in a special earthen oven, five in numbers, one of the tops of another. Yet the one on the top is cooked first.

Koili Baikuntha

It is situated near the north gate. Here Lord Krishna had appeared in the form of a Cuckoo bird to Sri Radha and hence this place is known Koili Baikuntha. It is otherwise known as Deba Nirbanabhumi. Here the Pandavas has buried the sapphire like the body of Lord Krishna after his demise. There is an age-old Salmali creeper here. The woods for Nabakalebara are kept hidden here.

Ananda Bazar

Ananda Bazar is the market place near the temple where you can purchase traditional sweets(bhoga) and Maha prasad for lunch and dinner. You can sit and eat there also. From history it comes to limelight that may be Ananda Bazar was facilitated from the 18th century.

Snanabedi

Snana Bedi is the place where deities are taken for a bath. There is a bathing festival celebrated in Puri, which is the first important festival in Hindu Calender for Jagannath devotees. It is the birthday of Lord Jagannath. On the full moon day Snana Yatra festival has been celebrated where all lords of Jagannath temple were taken for ceremonially bath and decoration.

Gundicha Mandir

Gundicha temple is one of the most renowned temples in Puri. Being another sacred place of Puri, this temple is the key segment of the well known Rath Yatra festival of Puri.

Next to the Great Jagannath temple, the most important sanctuary of Lord Jagannath is the Shree Gundicha temple, the abode to which Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are driven each on his or her wooden car once in a year, during the car festival. Except for these few days, it is unoccupied. The distance between the gates of Jagannath temple and the Gundicha temple is exactly 2,688.0696 meters(8,327 feet). The Car Festival of Puri is also known as Shree Gundicha Yatra.

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