Lingaraj Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar is the nearest airport.

• By train

  The nearest railway station is Bhubaneswar.

• By road

  The temple is inside Bhubaneswar city and easy to reach by road.

Rules to know

• Only Hindus may enter the temple; non-Hindus can see it from a viewing platform built outside the complex.
• The temple closes from 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM, so plan darshan for the morning or the evening.

Why devotees come here

Lingaraj Temple is the largest temple in Bhubaneswar, and its tower rises 180 ft over the city. Shiva is worshipped here as Harihara, where Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions meet. Only Hindus may go inside; others can see it from a viewing platform.

Bhubaneswar is called Ekamra Kshetra, the field of the mango tree. The Ekamra Purana, a 13th-century text, says the deity of Lingaraja first stood under a mango tree. The lingam here is swayambhu, self-manifested, and Parvati is worshipped beside Shiva as Annapurna or Girija.

The present temple dates from the last decade of the eleventh century. It is believed to be the work of the Somavamsi kings, with later additions by the Ganga rulers. It is the finest example of Kalinga architecture: four halls stand in a line, the sanctum under the tower, the assembly hall, the festival hall and the hall of offerings.

Shiva is worshipped here as Harihara, joining the Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions. Legend says an underground river from the temple fills the Bindusagar tank nearby, and pilgrims take a holy dip there on festival days. The temple is maintained by the Temple Trust Board and the Archaeological Survey of India.

Festivals

• Phalgun monthMaha Shivaratri

  Devotees fast, offer bel leaves and pray through the night until the Mahadipa is lit on the spire.

• AshokashtamiRukuna Ratha Jatra

  Lingaraja rides a chariot to the Rameshwar Deula temple, pulled by thousands of devotees.

Tips for your visit

• The temple sees about 6,000 visitors on an ordinary day and hundreds of thousands at festivals, so arrive early on Shivaratri.
• Allow 1 to 2 hours for darshan and to look at the carved halls.
• Walk to the Bindusagar tank nearby, where pilgrims bathe on festival days.

Questions people ask