Kedar Gouri Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Biju Patnaik International Airport lies about 3 km south of the city centre.

• By train

  Bhubaneswar railway station is one of the main stations on the Indian railway network.

• By road

  The temple lies on the right side of the Talabazar road that runs from Lingaraj Temple to the Kedara-Gouri lane.

Why devotees come here

Kedar Gouri is a temple precinct in the Kedara-Gouri Chowk of Bhubaneswar's Old Town, Odisha. Its main shrine, Kedareswar, is one of the eight Astasambhu temples of the city. The shrine is linked to a legend about a tiger and a pond.

Kedar Gouri is linked to a legend. The legend says Gouri felt hungry during their journey, and Kedar went out for food and was killed by a tiger. Hearing this at this place, Gouri jumped into the pond. The main shrine, Kedareswar, is one of the eight Astasambhu temples of Bhubaneswar.

The legend credits King Lalatendu Keshari of Utkal with raising the temple, which was named Kedareshawr or Kedargouri. The main tower of Kedareswar is in the rekha style. It measures 13.50 metres from pabhaga to kalasa. A separate Gouri temple stands about 6 metres to the south of the main shrine, and Kedareswar stands 40 metres south of the Muktesvara temple.

The Old Town is the oldest part of the city. It has many temples, including the Lingaraja, Nilakantha Siva, Rajarani and Muktesvara temples, and they stand alongside homes.

Festivals

• Guru Panchami nightGuru Panchami

  Lingaraja is said to marry Parvati at this temple on that night.

Tips for your visit

• Lovers still come here to pray for a happy marriage without obstacles.
• Uttaresvara Siva temple stands in the same chowk, on the northern bank of Bindu Sagar.
• Dutiya Kedaresvara, another shrine, lies about 500 metres west of Kedareswar.
• A Hanuman temple is also listed in the Kedara-Gouri precinct.

Questions people ask