Saturday, November 21, 2009

Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneswar

The sun now getting heavy, we arrived at our second-to-last destination – the Lingaraj Temple. It is one of more than 400 temples remaining in Bhubaneswar, part of the 7,000 that once stood here. Like the temple in Puri, non-Hindus were not allowed entrance. This magnificent 11th century temple dedicated to Lord Shiva represents the pinnacle of the Orissan style. Towering high above the surrounding wall is the 55m high deul (spire), its surface textured with vertical ribs and a few bulbous creatures. According to our guide, it is the tallest temple structure in the world. Other details described in the guidebook must have lay further down; female figures, animals, and friezes of ceremonial processions. The pyramidal rooftops of a few of the 100 shrines could be seen. In structures closer to the wall, I could see one of its common themes – a lion pouncing on a cowering elephant, believed by some to be a royal emblem.

Nearby was the large Bindusagar temple tank that is believed to have water from every sacred river in India. It is here where the main deity of the Lingaraj temple is brought for an annual ritual bath. The sun was now very low, silhouetting some structures and casting a warm glow onto others. Outside the walls of the complex women sold baskets of marigolds. Garlands of orange and yellow marigolds were strung in garlands, also to be used for performing religious ceremonies. Beggars parked themselves on blankets made from rice sacks, their aluminum bowls extended for donations. A thin-limbed sadhu with its dreadlocks appeared lost in meditation, perched cross-legged on a wall. A shawled older woman placed before a young cow a bowl of food, folding her hands together as she paid respect to the animal. Alas, the hour had quickly gone by. We had to move on.

See more photos of Lingaraj and other temples of Bhubaneswar on my Flickr page

1 comment:

Luray VA accommodations said...

Lingaraj Temple is a temple of the Hindu god Shiva and is one of the oldest temples of the Temple City Bhubaneswar, a revered pilgrimage center and the capital of the state of Orissa.

The temple of Lingaraja, the biggest of all at Bhubaneswar is located within a spacious compound wall of latterite measuring 520 feet by 465 feet. The wall is 7 feet 6 inches thick and surmounted by a plain slant coping