Parasurameswara Temple

Parsurameswar Temple, located in the East Indian city of Bhubaneshwar, the capital of Orissa, is considered the best preserved specimen of an early Orissan Hindu temple dated to the Sailodbhava period between the seventh and eighth centuries AD. The temple is dedicated to Hindu god Shiva and is one of the oldest existing temples in the state. The temple is believed to have been built during 650 AD in Nagara style and it has all the main features of the pre-10th century Orissan style temples. The temple is one among the Parasumeswar group of temples that are considered the oldest temples in Bhubaneswar. Parsurameswar temple has a vimana, the sanctum, and a bada, the curvilinear spire over its roof, raising up to a height of 40.25 ft (12.27 m). It is the first temple to have an additional structure called jagamohana, compared to the earlier temples that had only the vimana. Though the temple is a dedicated to Shiva, it contains sculpted images of Sakta deities, which are otherwise part of Sakta temples. The temple is the first among Bhubaneswar temples to have depiction of Saptamatrikas images, namely, Chamunda, Varahi, Indrani, Vaisnavi, Kaumari, Sivani and Brahmi. The temple, in modern times, is maintained and administered by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as a ticketed monument. Parasurashtami is the major festival celebrated in the temple during June-July every year.