Parshurameshwar Templ

 

Parshurameshwar Temple

Parshurameshwar Temple

The Parshurameshwar Temple is a Hindu temple in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, one of the oldest temples in Odisha. It is one of the best preserved old Utkaliya temples and was built between the 7th and 8th centuries BC. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This city-style temple dates back to BC. It is thought to have been built in 650, and the temple bears all the features of the temples built in Odisha before the 10th century.

The Parshurameshwar temple has a fence in addition to the plane and the sanctum sanctorum. There is a special part of this temple called Jagmohan, which was not present in the previous temples. Despite being a Shaiva temple, there are many statues found in Shakta temples. This is the first temple in Bhubaneswar to have a statue of Saptamatrika. The temple is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. Parshuramastami, celebrated in June-July, is the most important festival in the temple. It is considered a major tourist destination.

History--

The temple is one of the Parshurameshwar temples and one of the oldest in Bhubaneswar. According to some historians, it was built in the first part of the 8th century after the construction of the temples of Shatrughaneshwar, Bharateshwar and Laxmaneshwar. The historian Krishnachandra Panigrahi calls it 650 BC. According to Ferguson, it was built in 500 BC. Most researchers refer to it as the mid-9th century.

The temple was built by the Shailodabhav dynasty. This family was Shaivite. Many Shakti statues can be seen in this temple as they also worship Shakta. It was repaired in 1903. Only a few changes were made to the womb and roof, keeping the original shape the same. As on the east coast, it was not as affected by the 12th-13th century Muslim invasions as other temples. It is currently being maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Architecture--

The Utkaliya temples have two parts; The plane or the sanctum sanctorum and the Jagmohan, from which devotees visit the idol. This is the first time that Jagmohan has been built in the Parshurameshwar temple. Jagmohan is not seen in previous temples. The next temple has two more sections, the Nat Mandapa and the Bhoga Mandapa.