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Parsurameswara Temple

Overview

•Parsurameswara Temple also spelt Parashurameshvara, is a Hindu temple, located in the East Indian city of Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, India, is considered the best preserved specimen of an early Odia Hindu temple dated to the Shailodbhava period between the 7th and 8th centuries CE.

Highlights

The temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and is one of the oldest existing temples in the state.
It is believed to have been built around 650 CE in Nagara style and has all the main features of the pre-10th century Kalinga Architecture style temples.
The temple is one among the Parashurameshvara group of temples.
Parashurameshvara Temple has a vimana, the sanctum, and a bada, the curvilinear spire over its roof, rising to a height of 40.25 ft (12.27 m).
It is the first temple to have an additional structure called jagamohana, compared to the earlier temples that had only the vimana.

Religious Significance

Parashurameshvara represents Shiva as the lord of Parashurama, one of the avatars of Vishnu. According to Hindu legend, the temple derives its name from the penance of Parashurama and the resultant grace of Shiva. Parashuramashtami is the major festival celebrated in the temple on the 8th day of Ashadha (June–July) when the festival image of Lingaraja is taken to Parashurameshvara Temple and feasted. Parashurameshvara Temple, along with Rajarani Temple and Vaitala Deula, substantiates the existence of the Devadasi tradition during the 7th and 8th centuries CE.

Dress Code

Modest, respectful clothing is expected at this site.

History

•Parashurameshvara Temple is one of the Parashurameshvara group of temples, considered to be the oldest temples in Bhubaneswar.
•Some historians believe Parashurameshvara Temple to have been built in the early 8th century CE., subsequent to the construction of the Satruguneswar, Bharateswar and Lakshmaneswar temples in the late 7th century, although K.C.Panigrahi places the date as 650 CE.
•Fergusson believed that the temple might have been initiated at around 500 CE.

Architecture

•The Kalingan temples have two parts: the sanctum, called vimana, and a place from where pilgrims view the sanctum, called the jagamohana (hall of worshippers).
•Parashurameshvara Temple is the first to have this additional structure.
•The initial deul temples were without the jagamohana as seen in some of the older temples in Bhubaneswar, while the later temples had two additional structures namely nata-mandapa (festival hall) and bhoga-mandapa (hall of offerings).
•The vimana is square in plan and the walls have sections called rathas or pagas.

Things to Do

Visit Parsurameswara Temple

Flexible

Parsurameswara Temple also spelt Parashurameshvara, is a Hindu temple, located in the East Indian city of Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, India, is considered the best preserved specimen of an early Odia Hindu temple dated to the Shailodbhava period between the 7th and 8th centuries CE.

CultureEasy

Architecture

Flexible

The Kalingan temples have two parts: the sanctum, called vimana, and a place from where pilgrims view the sanctum, called the jagamohana (hall of worshippers). Parashurameshvara Temple is the first to have this additional structure.

CultureEasy