Rajarani Temple – Timings and overveiw
Rajarani Temple is one of the sacred and popular temples of the temple city Bhuvaneswar in Odisha. Built in the 11th century, the temple boasts of splendid architecture, which is typical of the Kalinga temple architectural style. There is no presiding deity in the temple, but it is believed to be dedicated to Lord Shiva.
The temple is made of red and yellow coloured sandstone, which is called ‘Rajrani’ in the local language. Hence, the temple is named as Rajarani Temple. Locally this temple is also known as ‘Love Temple’ because of the many images of beautiful couples and women carved on its walls.
History of this Temple
The history of the Rajrani temple dates back to the 11th century, when it was built by Indraratha, the ruler of the famous Somavanshi dynasty. According to historians, earlier it was called Indreshwar Temple, believed to be named after Indraratha. However, there is another school of thought which indicates that Indreshwar was named after Lord Shiva. Although there is no presiding deity of this temple, but it is believed that it is related to Shaivism.
Later, the temple came to be known as Rajarani because of its colour – yellow and red sandstone – locally known as Rajarani. In 1903, the temple was renovated. And by this time, the structure had reached a dilapidated state. Presently, the temple is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Every year, the Department of Tourism, Government of Odisha organizes the Rajarani Sangeet Samaroh in the temple premises in the month of January-February. The festival was first started in 2003 in collaboration with the Bhubaneswar Music Circle.
Rajarani Temple Timings
This temple is open at 6:30am in the morning and close at 7:30pm in the evening.
| Day | Timing |
|---|---|
| Monday | 6:30 am – 7:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 6:30 am – 7:30 pm |
| Wedesday | 6:30 am – 7:30 pm |
| Thursday | 6:30 am – 7:30 pm |
| Friday | 6:30 am – 7:30 pm |
| Saturday | 6:30 am – 7:30 pm |
| Sunday | 6:30 am – 7:30 pm |
Place to visit near Rajarani Temple
Brahmeswara Temple
Built in the 9th century AD, Brahmeswara Temple is one of the most famous temples in Bhubaneswar. The Brahmeshwar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is a wonderful example of the Kalinga style of architecture.
The Brahmeshwar temple complex consists of a main temple surrounded by 4 smaller temples. The Brahmeshwar temple is adorned with stone carved figures and the 9 planets in Indian astrology.
Chausath Yogini Temple
The Chausath Yogini Temple, an ancient temple dating back to the 10th century, is considered one of the major temples of Bhubaneswar. It was built during the Kalachuri kingdom. In which the presiding deity is Goddess Durga. Chausath Yogini Temple follows the Yogini culture in India and around 70 Yoginis reside in this temple.
Also Read: Thirunallar Saneeswaran Temple Timings, History and How to reach
How to reach this Temple
By Air- Nearest airport from this temple is Biju Patnaik International Airport distance between Rajarani Temple and the Airport is approximately 4 km. It takes around 11 minutes to reach the temple by taxi or auto rickshaw.
By Train- Nearest railway station from this temple is Bhubaneshwar Railway Station which is at the distance about 3.9 km from this temple and can be easily reached in about 10 minutes by availing auto rickshaw or taxi service.
By Road- Bhubaneswar is well connected with the different parts of the country so it is easy to reach this temple by road. There are also many buses runs from most of the parts of country.
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