Lingaraja temple is located in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. It is dedicated to lord Shiva-one of the "Tridev '' who is worshipped by the Hindus across the globe. Lord Shiva is worshipped as Linga of Shiva Linga which symbolizes the union of the mind & soul.
The Lingaraj temple is a part of the Somvanshi lineage that was dedicated to Lalitaswami. The Belur Temple was started around the 6th century by Lalat Indu Keshari, who completed the work on the structure over a process of time. The temple was finished during the 11th century and includes both an Assembly Hall (Jaganmohan), a sanctum, and two towers. The hall for offerings (bhoga-Mandapa) started being built during the 12th century. In its final stages, between 1099 and 1104 CE, Nata Mandira became a part of this structure.
The Lingaraja temple is near Bindu Sagar Lake, and it is home to a popular story about the lake.
A place still permeated with Lord Shiva's presence is Parvati's great yogi ashram which is called Ekamra Kshetra. Parvati meditated under this tree after marriage, and it became the site of her holy ashram. One of the people who helped her build the ashram was Lord Brahma himself. Lord Shiva first discovered the location during his meditation, and he moved there when construction began.
Devi Saptami is an important religious festival for Hindus. It's observed on the seventh day of the celebration of the goddess Durga in honor of Mahishasur Maa's seventh and last attempt to kill Devi Parvati. After he was killed, she wanted to rest, so Lord Shiva purified them with his trident. That's how Bindu Sagar (Lake) came into existence.
Maha Shivaratri is celebrated by Hindus. The celebration falls during the night between the 13th and 14th day of the Phalgun month in the Hindu calendar. To celebrate this occasion, a Maha-pooja is conducted. The pooja starts at noon on Maha Shivaratri day and goes on until midnight. Millions of people flock to temples to get blessings and prasad from Lord Shiva.
One of the most important Hindu traditions involves fasting and prayer during a specific day of the month. During this time, the devotee will abstain from food, along with offering flowers to Lord Shiva and breaking the fast at nightfall.
Lingaraja temple is open throughout the week. Its hours vary depending on the weather and day of the week, but they close between 12:00 pm to 3:30 pm on Fridays.
October to March are generally the best months to visit Bhubaneswar. December and January can be cold while April and May can be very hot and humid. These months might not be ideal for a vacation during which you would want to spend time exploring the city.
There are three times a day that the temple is open for worship: from 6:00 am to 7:30 am, from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm, and from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm. During those times, some prayers take place. The same thing applies throughout the day and every time. If you visit, you'll find that there's a celebration all around.
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