Paschimesvara Temple

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Overview

The Paschimesvara Siva Temple is situated in the Badu Sahi region in Old Town of Bhubaneswar, often referred to as the temple city of India. It gets its name from its south western embankment location on the Bindusagar Lake. Some of the sculptures have been distorted over the period of years and all the features have become difficult to be deciphered. The images also were weather beaten that are not very distinct

About The Temple

The temple is surrounded by the Markendesvara Shiva Temple in the west at a distance of 15.5 meters, Akhdachandi in the northwest corner at a distance of 2 meters, Bindusagar in the east at a distance of 1.5 meters and private residential buildings in the south. The stones that make up the temple remnants are mostly sandstone and laterite. The construction style is dry masonry. There are four sculptures in the northern side of the ruins;one is a four armed Parvati holding rosary in her upper right hand and nagapasa in upper left hand. At the base the deity is flanked by two female attendants and two animals, on either side. On the top there are two flying vidyadhara on either side carrying garland in both hands. The second ditched sculpture is a four armed Ganesa sitting over a decorated pedestal, supported by an atlantad gana at the centre, which is flanked by two jackfruits. The deity is holding parsu in his upper left hand and modaka patra in lower left hand, while his upper right hand is holding a rosary and lower left hand is broken.

Legend and Stories

The temple was established as early as the 8th century. The temple is in a poor condition. A flight of steps that leads to a heap of stones suggests that the temple was originally faced towards the west. Its architectural features of the detached sculptures provide important information about the shrine. The ancient sculptures are that of Ganesa, Parvati, Karttikeya and Narsimha. Four of the detached sculptures are in ruins and that includes a four armed Parvati with a rosary and nagapasa in her upper right and left hand respectively. The sculptures of Ganesa might belong to the 7th or 8th century.

Festivals

In this temple major rituals of Lord Shiva are performed. Mahashiva Ratri is celebrated at a grand scale in this temple. Kartika-purnima, Raja Sankranti, and Jalasaya ceremony are also celebrated on a grand scale. Thread ceremony, mundana, marriage ceremony are also performed.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit this divine place is during the most important rituals like Sankranti and Sivratri that attracts plenty of devotees.

Prasad and Offering

Visitors can offer flowers, sweets, milk and clothes to the deity .Milk, Dhupa,

Accessibility

Airport

Bhubaneshwar airport is the nearest available airport.

Railways

Bhubaneshwar railway station can be approached to travel from far off places to this beautiful temple.

Road

Road transports offer the best transportation facilities Akhdachandi is just 2 metres away while Bindusagar in the east is at a distance of only 1.5 metres from the temple.

Temple Address