Lingaraj Temple

Lingaraj is the presiding deity of ancient Ekamra Kshetra (Bhubaneswar) and the most important temple of the region. Its worship of Shiva and Vishnu together as Harihara symbolises the harmony of the two great streams of Hindu devotion. As the crowning glory of Kalinga temple architecture, it influenced sacred building across eastern India. It remains a living centre of faith after nearly a millennium.

The Lingaraj temple dominates the old city of Bhubaneswar with its magnificent deul (tower) rising about 55 metres, richly carved in the classical Kalinga style. Set within a vast walled compound containing scores of smaller shrines, the temple centres on a swayambhu lingam worshipped as Harihara — half Shiva, half Vishnu. The Bindusagar tank nearby is used for ritual bathing, and the temple's great chariot festival draws large crowds. Only Hindus are permitted inside, and the sanctum radiates the deep antiquity of Odisha's temple tradition.