Information of Parsurameswar Temple, Bhubaneswar, Odisha

The Parsurameswar Temple is one of the oldest temples in Bhubaneswar in the Indian state of Orissa. It is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Supreme deity Lord Shiva. There are many beliefs about the date of construction of the temple with the earliest records to have been the between the 7th and 8th century.

Parsurameswar Temple Religious Significance

As the temple is situated in the hub of capital city of Orissa it draws a large number of pilgrims who are deeply devoted to Lord Shiva. It is considered as the foremost temple in Bhubaneswar to depict the presence of Saptamatrikas. These include Chamunda, Indrani, Sivani, Brahmi, Vaisnavi and Kaumari. Lord Shiva is considered as another form of Lord Vishnu. The temple is built basically following the teachings of Vaisnavism in Hinduism.

The most celebrated festival in the temple is Parsuramashtami on the 8th day of Ashadha which falls between June and July. The temple is open at all times for worship by the devotees. The Archaeological Survey of India charges a ticket in order to maintain and preserve the historical monument for as much time as possible.

Parsurameswar Temple Mythology & History

The Hindu myths tell us that the temple was built as a fruit for the immense devotion of Parsurama towards Lord Shiva. The temple is said to have been built as early as 650 AD by the Sailodbhavas who worshipped Lord Shiva as their primary deity. The Parsurameswar temple is the oldest temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in the Bhubaneswar province.

With time the temple has been ruins but it was restored in 1903. Since Bhubaneswar is located at the eastern coast of the Indian peninsular it was not affected by Muslim invasions.

There are many theories present as to the original establishment of the temple. Fergusson set a theory that the most probable period of the construction of Parsurameswar temple was 500 AD. Other historians reveal that the temple was built during the 7th century AD due to the presence of certain images on the walls of the temple.

Parsurameswar Temple Architectural Significance

The Parsurameswar Temple was built in the Nagara style architecture with a prominent shikara or a tower and a worshipping hall a typical feature of the ancient Odissi architecture. The temple is built up of stones with many carvings on the surface. A noteworthy feature of the temple is the presence of jagamohana which was present only in later temple along with a festival hall. The jagamohana or the hall of worship covers 7.6 by 5.6 metres from the inside. The Parsurameswar temple comprises of a Vimana, the worshipping hall, an inner sanctuary and a spire or a shikara elevating at a height of 12.27 metres. The Vimana is a square cubical and the walls are carved with beautiful floral designs. The Vimana has a spire which is a curved structure and various intricate designs. The main sanctuary is also a square room which is 3 by 3 meters in area in the inside. From the outside it measures 6 by 6.4 metres in are and the height is 12.3 metres.

A number of windows are present on the walls of the halls through which light can enter. The many carving on the walls are of six handed Durga ornamented with headdress, garland and anklets. The main shrine holds the image of Lord Shiva. Other figures of deities present in the temple are Ganesha, Virabhadra, Ardhanarishvara, Ganga, Yamuna, Vishnu, Indra, Surya, Yama, Kartikeya, and Nagas. There are various sculptures of Lord Shiva depicting various incidents like figures subduing the demon King Ravana, as nataraja in different tandava positions. The temple is known for its immense intricate mesmerising stone carvings depicting the worshipping of different Hindu Deities.