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Parashurameshwara Temple, Bhubaneswar
Shiva · Oldest Kalinga Temple · Bhubaneswar
॥ ओं नमः शिवाय ॥
In the old temple quarter of Bhubaneswar stands the Parashurameshwara Temple, among the earliest shrines of the city to survive. Built around the seventh century in the early Kalinga style, this small but densely carved Shiva temple is a key step in the growth of Odisha’s temple architecture. Its low pillared hall, latticed windows and crowded reliefs preserve a formative chapter of the tradition that would later raise the great temples of the region.
One of Bhubaneswar’s oldest temples
Bhubaneswar is famed for its temples, and the Parashurameshwara is among the oldest of them still standing, dated to around the 7th century, roughly 650 CE. Dedicated to Shiva, it belongs to the early phase of the Kalinga school before its forms grew tall and elaborate.
Though modest in size beside the later giants of the city, it holds an outsized place in the history of Odishan building.
Early Kalinga architecture
The temple pairs a sanctum, the deul, with a low pillared hall, the jagamohana, an early arrangement that later Kalinga temples would expand and refine. The roof of the hall is stepped rather than soaring, marking how early it sits in the sequence.
Latticed stone windows let filtered light into the hall, a feature that gives the interior its distinctive character.
Carvings and sculpture
The outer walls are thick with early sculpture: forms of deities, decorative motifs, musicians and amorous couples, all worked in a vigorous, close-packed style. These reliefs are valued as evidence of how the Kalinga idiom took shape.
Cared for as a protected monument, the temple remains a place of worship as well as a study piece for the evolution of Odisha’s sacred architecture.
How to reach Parashurameshwara Temple, Bhubaneswar
- By road: The temple lies in the old temple precinct of Bhubaneswar, near Lingaraj, reached easily by taxi or auto-rickshaw within the city.
- By train: Bhubaneswar Railway Station is a few kilometres away with connections across India.
- By air: Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar, is close to the city centre and the temple quarter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Parashurameshwara Temple important?
It is among the oldest surviving temples of Bhubaneswar, built around the 7th century in the early Kalinga style, and marks a key stage in the development of Odisha’s temple architecture.
When was it built?
It dates to around the seventh century, roughly 650 CE, placing it early in the sequence of Kalinga-style temples.
Which deity is worshipped here?
The temple is dedicated to Shiva, worshipped here as Parashurameshwara, with the usual sanctum housing the lingam.
What are its main architectural features?
It pairs a sanctum (deul) with a low pillared hall (jagamohana), has latticed stone windows, and is covered with early carvings of deities, motifs and figures.
What kind of carvings does it have?
Its walls bear vigorous early sculpture — forms of deities, decorative motifs, musicians and amorous couples — prized as evidence of the emerging Kalinga style.
Where is the temple located?
It stands in the old temple quarter of Bhubaneswar in Odisha, near the Lingaraj precinct.
॥ हर हर महादेव ॥ • Bhaktiras.net Temple Guide
| Deity | Shiva as Parashurameshwara |
| Period | c. 7th century (c. 650 CE) |
| Style | Early Kalinga |
| Features | Deul with jagamohana, latticed windows |
| Status | Protected heritage monument |
| State | Odisha |