Page 312 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

310  EASTERN INDIA

1 Bhubaneswar

The capital of Odisha, Bhubaneswar is famous for its superb
Hindu temples. Most of these are in the older, southern part
of the city, while the new town, with its modern administrative
buildings and wide tree-lined avenues, is in the north. The
temples date from the 7th to the 13th centuries, a period
which saw the waning of Buddhism and a revival of Hinduism
under the successive dynasties that ruled Odisha: the
Shailodbhavas and Bhauma Karas in the 7th–8th centuries;
the Somavamshis in the 9th–11th centuries; and the
Eastern Gangas in the 12th–13th centuries.

Exploring the temples where both sculpture and Devotees bathing in the sacred waters
More than 400 temples remain architecture have evolved in of Bindusagar
of the 7,000 that are said to have perfect harmony. Its grandeur lies
once embellished Bhubaneswar, in its towering 55-m (180-ft) high Temple is brought here for a
earning it the title, the “City of deul (spire) with dramatic vertical ritual bath (see p313) every year.
Temples”. A distinctive version of ribs, and in the consummate The 8th-century Vaital Deul
the North Indian style of temple artistry with which each Temple, to the west of
architecture evolved in Odisha sculpture and embellishment
over the centuries (see p25), under is executed. The female figures,
the patronage of the different animals and friezes of ceremonial
dynasties. As the power and processions are full of grace and Nandan Kanan Zoo Railway
CUTTACK,
prosperity of these dynasties exuberance. The temple’s large INDIAN AIRLINES ST MARKET ST Station
1km (0.6 mile)
grew, the temples became bigger courtyard has about 150 smaller
and more elaborate. Most of the shrines. The main deity here is SCHOOL ST SCHOOL ST RAJ PATH GAUTAM NAGAR
temples have two main compo- Shiva as Tribhuvaneswar (“Lord Khandagiri & U NIT 1 M AIN ST P A T H
Udayagiri Caves
nents – a convex curvilinear of the Three Worlds”), from which ADIVA SI GR O UND RD BHUBANESWAR MG PURI CUTTACK RD
spire locally known as the deul the city takes its name. The BAPUJI NAGAR MAIN ST KALPANA
SQUARE
(elsewhere called the shikhara), intriguing image of a rampant J A N VENUS INN ST K A L PA N A R D
which towers over the inner lion springing on a crouching Airport U DYA N M AR G
2 km (1 mile)
sanctum where the deity’s elephant is a powerful motif in
image is kept; and an entrance this temple, as in many others in Mausima State Museum BJB NAGAR RD
Odisha
porch or assembly hall called Odisha, and some scholars believe Temple
the jagamohan, with a stepped it is a royal emblem. Non-Hindus Ramakrishna
pyramidal roof. Some of the cannot enter the Lingaraj Temple, 2ND ST Math
bigger temples have two or but can view it from a platform 4TH ST R O A D L E W I S
three of these porches. Several near its nor thern gateway. The
smaller shrines and bathing other temples are open to visitors. 6TH ST S A H I VIVEKANANDA MG
tanks often surround the main North of the temple is the 8TH ST VIVEKANANDA MARG R O A D
temple, which is enclosed in large Bindusagar Tank with BJB NAG AR RD
a walled compound. a pavilion in the middle. It is 10TH ST BARADA N D A Hanuman
Temple
The magnificent 11th-century believed to contain water from ROAD
Lingaraj Temple represents the every sacred river in India. Vaital Deul TANKAPANI RD
Temple
Rajarani
high point of the Orissan style, The main deity of the Lingaraj Uttameshwar Mukteshwar Temple
M A H A T A B Bindusagar BINDU SAGAR R D Parasurameshwar

Temple
Temple

Gouri Park
Kedar
Tank

Temple

Mulapadia Sari Ananta Daya River
Local Park Temple Basudev
Lingaraj Temple
Temple
Bhubaneswar L E W I S
City Centre
1 Lingaraj Temple LINGARAJ TEMPLE RD R O A D
2 Bindusagar Tank
3 Vaital Deul Temple GIANI ZAIL SINGH ROAD
4 Parasurameshwar Temple
5 Mukteshwar Temple
6 Rajarani Temple Chausath Yogini Temple,
PURI, KONARAK,
Impressive spire of the 11th-century Lingaraj Temple 7 Odisha State Museum DHAULI & PIPLI
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p698 and pp711–12
310-311_EW_India.indd 310 26/04/17 11:45 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.4)
Date 25th April 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm