Lingaraja temple is the ancient and the largest worship place in Bhubaneswar, Orissa. The deity here is worshipped by the followers of Lord Shiva. The name “Lingaraja” is termed as “King of Linga”. The word “Linga” means priapic form of “Lord Shiva”.
This ancient temple is of great architectural excellence, gopura of the temple is 180 meters tall. The outer compound wall of the holy shrine is carved and sculptured by the images of Gods. The huge pillars and halls are special attraction to the temple. So, plan a trip to the temple through Orissa State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) online bus tickets service for a comfortable journey.
History of Lingaraja temple
The temple was built in the 11th century by the King called Jajati Keshari.
The King belonged to Soma-Vansha (Lunar Dynasty). He started the construction of the temple, when he changed the capital of his dynasty to Bhubaneswar.
Main attractions
The temple consists of separate sanctum for various ceremony of the shrine. The four main divisions are Garbh Griha, Bhoga Mandap, Yajna Shala and Natya Shala. Lord Shiva in this temple is self-originated (swayambhu Lingam). The puja is performed for Lord Siva daily. On the other side of the temple Lord Ganesh, Lord Karthikya and goddess Parvati are located. Big Bindu Sagar Lake is situated at the centre of the temple. Once a year, the sculpture of lord Shiva is taken to Jalmandir, located at the centre of the lake.
Nearby places of attraction are:
· Mukteshwar temple
· Vaital Deul
· Parashurameshwara temple
· Rajarani Temple
· Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves
· Cactus Garden
Getting there
Bhubaneswar is well connected by all means of transportation.
There regular government and private bus services are available to reach the temple. The bus stand is located 8 kms away from the centre of the city. The Orissa government provides online bus tickets service from the major cities like Vishakhapatnam, Jamshedpur, Calcutta, Gaya and Ranchi. To visit nearby places seek charter bus rental services provided by the travel agency.
Stay
Bhubaneswar is the major pilgrimage attraction for tourists. Every year many devotees and tourists visit this place. Lodging facilities are available in plenty for stay. There are many hotels and restaurants located around the temple. The hotels provide deluxe and premium rooms for stay. The rooms are equipped with some amenities such as telephone, TV and fridge. Some value added services provided by the hotels are conference hall, taxi service, doctor on call and gymnasium.
Cuisine
Bhubaneswar is famous for their sweet items and sea foods. Some of the famous sweets are rasabali, rasgulla, chennajhilli and chlena poda etc. Another delight of this place is the mahaprasad from the Lingaraja temple given daily to the devotees, who visit the temple.
Shopping
There are lots of shops present around the temple area. Orissa state is very famous for handicrafts. So, the tourists can buy several items like sliver filigree, paintings, wood & stone carvings, bamboo baskets, brass metal bells, cloth and horn work. Some of the shops are owned by the state department of handicrafts.
