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Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, has earned its nickname “Temple City of India” for good reason – the Old Town area, known historically as Ekamra Kshetra, is home to more than 700 shrines built between the 6th and 13th centuries. Together they form one of the most complete records of Kalinga-style temple architecture anywhere in India. Here’s an updated look at the five most significant temples to visit, along with current timings, entry fees, and practical tips for 2026.
Lingaraj Temple
The Lingaraj Temple is the largest and most revered shrine in Bhubaneswar, dedicated to Lord Harihara – a combined form of Shiva and Vishnu. Most of the present structure dates to the 11th century under the Somavamsi dynasty, with later additions made by the Ganga kings. Its curvilinear tower rises to roughly 180 feet, built in the classic Kalinga Deula style, and the complex is organized into four sections – the vimana (sanctum), jagamohana (assembly hall), natamandir (festival hall), and bhoga mandapa (offerings hall) – surrounded by around 50 smaller shrines.
Good to know before you go:
- The temple is open to Hindus only; non-Hindu visitors can view the complex from a platform built along the outer wall (a legacy of a visit by Lord Curzon).
- Darshan timings are roughly 6:00 AM–9:00 PM, with a short midday break; entry is free.
- Maha Shivaratri draws enormous crowds, with extended hours; other major festivals include Ashokashtami and Chandan Yatra.
- The temple is jointly maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Temple Trust Board.
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Mukteswara Temple
Dating to around 950 CE, the Mukteswara Temple is widely considered the finest example of mature Kalinga architecture and is often called the “gem of Odishan temple art.” It’s dedicated to Lord Shiva and is best known for its ornate torana – an arched gateway carved with figures of Shiva and Parvati – considered one of the earliest and most refined examples of its kind in the region. Unlike Rajarani, it remains an active place of worship.
Good to know: The temple sits within the pedestrian-friendly heritage stretch of Old Town that the city beautified in recent years, making it an easy, pleasant walk from Lingaraj and Rajarani. There’s no entry fee.
चंद्रभागा बीच क्यों है इतना फेमस? – पूरी यात्रा गाइड (2025-2026)
Rajarani Temple
The Rajarani Temple is one of the most photographed monuments in Bhubaneswar, named for the reddish-gold “rajarania” sandstone used to build it – not, as is sometimes claimed, for a presiding king and queen deity. Built in the 11th century, historians place its construction between the Lingaraj and Mukteswara temples, and its tower shows a distinctive blend of Kalinga and central Indian (Khajuraho-style) influences, with rows of miniature turrets and sculpted figures in graceful poses.
Importantly, Rajarani has no presiding deity today – it was likely originally dedicated to Shiva (it was once known as the Indreswara temple) – and it is no longer used for active worship, which makes it a calmer, more garden-like site to explore than the city’s living temples.
Good to know before you go:
- Managed by the ASI; entry is ticketed at roughly ₹25–30 for Indian nationals and ₹250 for foreign visitors (children under 15 enter free).
- Open daily, roughly 6:00 AM–9:00 PM.
- The Odisha Tourism Department hosts the Rajarani Music Festival here every January–February, an atmospheric evening of classical music set against the floodlit temple.
Ananta Vasudeva Temple
Built in 1278 CE by Queen Chandrika Devi of the Eastern Ganga dynasty, the Ananta Vasudeva Temple is one of the few major Vaishnavite shrines in a city otherwise dominated by Shiva temples. It’s dedicated to Krishna (worshipped here as Vasudeva) alongside Balarama and Subhadra, with black granite images unlike the wooden deities at Puri’s Jagannath Temple. The temple stands right on the edge of Bindu Sarovar tank, next to Lingaraj.
A highlight for visitors is its temple kitchen, which still prepares Mahaprasad (Abhada) in earthen pots over firewood, served at the adjoining Bhoga Bazaar in a tradition modeled on Puri’s Ananda Bazaar.
Good to know: Free entry; open roughly 6:00/6:30 AM–7:00/8:00 PM daily. Foreigners are welcome, unlike at Lingaraj. Janmashtami is the biggest festival here.
Parashurameswara Temple
Believed to be one of the oldest surviving temples in Bhubaneswar, the Parashurameswara Temple dates to around the 7th century and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Though modest in scale compared to Lingaraj, it’s architecturally significant as an early, largely intact example of Kalinga temple design, with detailed carvings of Shiva, Parvati, and various deities on its walls, along with a notable frieze of elephants and other figures on its outer walls.
Good to know: No entry fee; open roughly 5:00 AM–6:00 PM daily. It’s a short walk from Mukteswara and Ananta Vasudeva, making it easy to combine all three on foot.
चंद्रभागा बीच क्यों है इतना फेमस? – पूरी यात्रा गाइड (2025-2026)
Planning Your Visit
All five temples sit within a compact stretch of Old Town, so it’s entirely possible to cover them on foot or by short auto-rickshaw hops in half a day. A few practical notes for 2026 travelers:
- Best time to visit: October to February, when cooler mornings and evenings make walking between temples and standing for darshan far more comfortable. May–June brings intense heat, and the July–September monsoon can make some stone courtyards slippery.
- Dress code: Modest clothing covering shoulders and knees is expected at all these sites; footwear must be removed before entering temple premises.
- Guided heritage walks: The Bhubaneswar Development Authority, along with Odisha Tourism, runs free guided Ekamra Heritage Walks through the Old Town temple cluster, covering Mukteswara, Lingaraj, Parashurameswara, Ananta Vasudeva, and several smaller shrines like Kotitirtheswar and Vaitala Deula – a good option if you want context beyond what’s posted on-site.
- Getting there: Biju Patnaik International Airport and Bhubaneswar Railway Station are both roughly 3–5 km from the Old Town temple cluster, with taxis and autos easily available.
Conclusion
Bhubaneswar’s temples are far more than static monuments – several, like Lingaraj, Mukteswara, and Ananta Vasudeva, remain living centers of daily worship, while others, like Rajarani, survive purely as architectural masterpieces. Together they trace roughly six centuries of Kalinga temple-building, making the Old Town one of the richest, most walkable heritage clusters in India. Whether you’re drawn by devotion, architecture, or history, a day spent moving between these five temples is one of the best ways to understand why Bhubaneswar earned its title as the Temple City of India.
