History of Lingaraj Temple
Table of Contents
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Introduction
Lingaraj temple is the largest and most ancient temple located in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The name of the "Lingaraja" means king of ling which is another form of Lord Shiva. only in the Lingaraj temple nowhere else can see the devoted dedicatory mantra "Hari-Hara" which defines both Lord Vishnu (HARI) and Lord Shiva (HARA). This is an important aspect of the temple, which represents the syncretism of the sacred Shaivism and Vaishnavism at this place. The eminent historian James Fergusson (1808-86) hailed the temple as one of the finest examples of a purely Hindu temple in India.
Vedic History
The temple is mentioned as Ekamra Kshetra in the Brahma Purana, which is a revered scripture of Hinduism. It is said that the worship of Jagannatha began to take its form during the construction phase of this temple where Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu were enshrined as Lingaraja. According to the Ekamra Purana, Lord Lingaraja was worshiped under a mango tree. The Ekamra Purana reveals that the deity originally resided under a mango (Ekamra) tree and did not appear as Linga in Satya Yuga and Treta Yuga. In Dwapara and Kali Yugas, it emerged as Linga, and for the first, the devotees worshipped the lingam as "Kirtivasa".
Ancient History
The Lingaraja temple is believed to have been built by kings from the Somavamsi dynasty, and later the Ganga dynasty gave the final touches to the temple. The temple was built by the Somavamsi dynasty king Yayati I during his time (1025-1040) in the 11th century CE. When the King of Jaipur Jajati Keshari shifted his capital from Jaipur to the city of Bhubaneswar in the 11th century, he embarked on a journey to build the Lingaraj Temple.
The architecture of the Temple
The remarkable architecture of the temple resembles the Kalinga style with a height of around 55 meters, which is facing to the east. The Lingaraj temple was erected in Redstone, sandstone, and laterite which is a classic example of the Kalinga style of architecture. The temple complex can be entered through the "Simha Diawara" where lions on both sides crush elephants under their feet. The trident (Lord Shiva) and Chakra (Lord Vishnu) is chiseled on either side of the entrance door. which is located in the east.
The main temple is built in the Deula style which is divided into four distinct parts namely "Yajnashala", "Natya shala", "Garbha Griha" and "Mandapam". A huge image of "Linga" appears in granite stone. Besides the linga, they worship the place where Ganesha, Kartikeya, and Goddess Parvati are placed in different directions. This sprawling Lingaraj temple complex has one hundred and fifty subsidiary shrines that are dedicated to several gods of Hindu deities. Another important holy place in the temple complex is the Bindusagar Lake and the water in the lake is believed to cure physical and spiritual illnesses.
Article Contributed By :
Mehar Routh
