Lingaraj Temple
Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
VerifiedDocumented history
- Deities
- Lingaraja (Shiva/Harihara)
- Traditions
- shaiva
- Worship status
- active
- Coordinates
- 20.2372, 85.8345
- Darshan hours
- Varies by temple and season; consult the temple's own trust/devasthanam for the current daily schedule before visiting.
- Best time to visit
- October to March; Maha Shivaratri and Ashokashtami are the major festivals.
- How to reach
- Bhubaneswar has its own airport and is a major railway junction; the temple is centrally located in the old town.
- Festivals
- Maha Shivaratri (February/March), Ashokashtami (chariot festival) (March/April)
Location
Open in Google MapsBhubaneswar’s largest and most important temple, Lingaraj is popularly described as enshrining Harihara, a combined form of Shiva and Vishnu reflecting Odisha’s historical syncretism of the two traditions; the temple does include images of Vishnu, plausibly reflecting the rising prominence of the Jagannath sect. The present structure dates substantially to the 11th century CE, with the assembly hall, sanctum, and tower believed built under the Somavamshi dynasty (traditionally credited to king Yayati I) and the hall of offering added in the 12th century under later Eastern Ganga (Ganga) patronage. Its 55-meter (180 ft) deul (tower) is a landmark of Kalinga-style temple architecture.
Sources
- historical record: 11th-century Somavamshi-dynasty construction documented via inscriptions; Kalinga architectural style well studied.
- historical record: Cross-checked against Wikipedia's account of Lingaraj Temple, accessed during verification pass: confirms the 180 ft (55 m) tower height, Kalinga/Deula architectural style, and restricted non-Hindu entry (viewing platform outside). Confirms the builder dynasty as Somavamshi (per Wikipedia, believed built under Somavamshi king Yayati I, c. 1025-1040), not 'Someshvara' as originally recorded here, with the assembly hall and sanctum dated to the 11th century and the hall of offering added in the 12th century under later Eastern Ganga patronage.
For review
- Corrected during verification pass: original text named the builder dynasty 'Someshvara'; this was an inaccurate rendering — Wikipedia confirms the dynasty is the Somavamshi dynasty (believed built under king Yayati I), which has been corrected here.
- The 'Harihara' characterization of the deity is popularly cited but not confirmed by Wikipedia's own Lingaraj article, nor by a follow-up check of Wikipedia's dedicated Harihara article, which instead documents a confirmed Harihara murti at the separate, nearby Mukteshvara Temple (9th-10th c.) and does not mention Lingaraj at all — the body text here is phrased as 'popularly described' rather than settled fact for exactly this reason.
- Entry to the inner temple is traditionally restricted to Hindus; non-Hindu visitors typically view from a platform outside, per longstanding temple practice.