LORD LINGARAJ TEMPLE

How to reach:- "Lord Lingaraj Temple" is one of the must visited temples of Orissa. The god of the gods 'Lord Mahadev' is being worshiped in this Temple. It dates back to the 11th century and represents the mature and complex 'Nagara' style of Orissan temple architecture. To get into this temple you will get the nearest airport at Bhubaneswar and nearest Railway Station at Bhubaneswar.
Famous for:- Its tower, dominating the surroundings, is visible from miles around. The temple, set in a huge walled compound measuring 520 feet by 465 feet, originally consisted only of the sanctum and the mandap or the entrance hall. The dancing hall and the hall of offerings are later additions. Around the main shrine there are many smaller votive shrines. The outer walls of the temple are lavishly decorated with beautiful sculptures which mark a climax of Hindu decorative architecture. Birds, beasts, creepers, flowers, men and women in erotic poses and postures, a host of gods and goddesses all are there in their full majesty and grandeur. The inner walls of the shrine, containing the phallus symbol of Shiva, are plain and without any embellishment. Just north of this temple is the sacred lake of Bindu Sagar with a tiny island in the center, where there are many lesser shrines. Here, once in a year, Lingaraj himself is brought for ritual ablutions.
Conclusion:- These temples epitomize a comprehensive history of the Orissan style of temple architecture from its very inception to perfection spreading almost to two thousand years from 3rd century B. C. to 16th Century A. D. These magnificent monuments dominating the city skyline, are within a reasonable walking distance from one another. The 46 meter high Lingaraj Temple marks the culmination of temple tradition of Bhubaneswar.