Bhusandeswar Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Biju Patnaik Airport in Bhubaneswar is the nearest airport. It is about 200 km from Balasore town, not from the temple.

• By train

  The temple is about 100 km from Balasore town, whose railway station is on the Howrah-Chennai main line.

• By road

  Balasore town, about 100 km from the temple, is on National Highway 16 and National Highway 18.

Why devotees come here

Baba Bhusandeswar Temple stands in Kumbhirgadi village, Bhograi block, Balasore district, Odisha, about 100 km from Balasore town. It houses a Shiva lingam that is called one of the largest in the world, and described as Asia's largest.

Baba Bhusandeswar Temple is known for its very large Shiva lingam, which is called one of the largest in the world. Local belief says the demon king Ravana was blessed by Shiva and was gifted this lingam. When Ravana could not carry it any further, he set it down here. He tried to lift it again but failed, because it was too heavy.

The lingam is carved from black granite and measures 12 feet long and 14 feet wide. It has three parts, and the middle portion is octagonal, about 12 feet across and nearly four feet high. The lingam leans slightly to the right. Only half of it is visible. The other half is said to have remained buried for years.

A news report says the old temple was to be demolished because brackish water from the Bay of Bengal, about 500 metres away, was damaging it.

Tips for your visit

• Balasore railway station is an important stop on the Howrah-Chennai main line of the South Eastern Railway.
• Only half of the lingam is visible, so what you see is only part of it, and the other half is said to be buried.

Questions people ask