Location : Orissa
Dedicated to : Lord Shiva
Attractions Around : Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, Chilika Lake
Best time to Visit : October to March


About the Mukteswara Temple
With its plethora of religious structures, Orissa is the ideal place for the spirituality seekers, however, the beauty and profoundness of temple architecture, the intricate details on the walls depicting life as existed centuries ago are enough draws that magnet even the non faithful to come and discover its hidden treasures. It is sometimes hard to believe how these monolithic structures could have been built hundreds of years ago taking every tiny detail into account such that they are difficult if not impossible to replicate even in these times of contemporary construction techniques. The Mukteswara temple in Orissa, built in the year 950 AD is one such structure which draws awe from the visitors. Often referred to as the miniature gem of Orissan architecture, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

A unique feature about the temple is that it served as an important point of transition between the early and later periods of Kalinga architecture with the builder successfully combining both the phases and giving a glimpse of how temple architecture during that era progressed. The temple tower rises to a height of just 35 feet, a typical feature of temples of older times, while the latticed windows of the porch and octagonal compound wall were introduced here and followed by temple builders of the later times. The developing pyramidal structured pattern of the jagamohana roof seems to be climbing up towards the sky, a feature which was introduced in all the later temples and colossal structures with towers rising hundreds of feet into the air, started to be built.

A number of images of ascetics in teaching and meditation poses decorate the interiors, which according to some is an indication of the temple as a centre of Tantric initiation. An image of a lion flanked by attendants, a typical feature of tantrism might support the view. Other attractions include the statues of monkeys engaged in playful activities in scenes taken from the popular Panchatantra tales. The outside contains a variety of images of divinities including Goddess Saraswati pictured sitting on a lotus flower along with her two attendants, Ganesha and Lakulisha, the founder of tantric Shaivism.

Towards the eastern side of the complex is a tank with sacred water inside, believed to have miraculous powers in curing several ailments. Numerous other shrines are also located inside the temple complex.

Other Attractions in Orissa
Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary
The sanctuary is home to a wide variety of rare plant and animal species including a mangrove forest which is home to 63 of the world's total 75 variety of mangroves. Over 190 species of birds have made it their home including migratory birds which arrive in June and nest until November. Numerous rivers and water bodies criss cross the park where crocodiles can be seen basking under the sun.

Chilika Lake
Chilika lake is a brackish water lake which supports on its banks a population of over one million migratory birds which come here from places like Siberia, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan in October and remain until March. The lake itself supports a wide variety of aquatic life with over 225 species of fish and other plants.

Cuttack
One of the oldest cities in Orissa, the history of this ancient city dates back to more than one thousand years. Cuttack remained the capital of Orissa for over nine centuries until 1950 when Bhubaneshwar was selected. Shopping options at the city include traditional saris, brassware, jewellery and filigree work. Barabati Fort, that at once rose to nine stories high is a major tourist attraction.

Gopalpur On Sea
A tiny seaport village, it is best known for its laid back beach with miles of golden sands and swaying palm trees. The place is named after an 18th century temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. Major attractions in the vicinity include a tall lighthouse which affords a breathtaking view of the surroundings and the ruins of an old jetty, believed to have been used in olden times by sailors travelling to Indonesia.