Entrance To Mukteshvara, Or Mukteswar Temple In Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India Editorial Photo

This 10th-century Hindu temple, located in the city of Bhubaneswar, dates back to 950–975 CE. Mukteshvara means `Lord of Freedom`, and the temple is dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. It is one of the prominent tourist attractions of this capital city of Odisha.Mukteshvara, or Mukteswar Temple is the `Gem of Odisha architecture` or `Kalinga Architecture`. The temple faces west and is constructed in a lower basement. The pyramidal roof to the ‘jagamohana’, or assembly hall, was the first of its kind. This type of construction supersedes the earlier two tier structure. The temple is enclosed within an octagonal compound wall with elaborate carvings on it. The most significant feature of the temple is the porch, called ‘torana’, which acts as the gateway to the octagonal compound. The temple has two structures namely, the ‘vimana’ structure above the sanctum and a ‘mukhasala’, the leading hall, both of which are built on a raised platform. The ‘torana’ dates back to about 900 CE and shows the influence of Buddhist architecture. The ‘vimana’ is square in plan and is built on a raised platform with pilasters in each facade. The ‘shikara’, or tower, has four Natarajas with four kirthimukhas on the four faces. The top portion of the shikara has the kalasa. The shikara is 34 ft. tall, with every inch sculpted with decorative patterns, architectural patterns and sculpted figures.