The Indian city of Bhubaneswar was nicknamed a «city of temples» for a reason. Today, the historical part of the city has about 500 Hindu shrines out of 7,000 previously built. The stone structures covered with elegant carvings date from the 8th to the 13th centuries, and even from earlier periods according to some sources.

The most impressive and perfectly preserved is the Lingaraja Temple complex, built in honor of one of the three Hindu supreme deities, the god Shiva. It was founded in the 11th century, although some historians claim that in the 6th century there was a temple built in honor of the ancestor of the gods, the legendary King Yayati. The architectural ensemble consists of three main temples and more than a hundred small shrines and sculptures dedicated to the characters of Hindu mythology.

The main temple was built in honor of Shiva's son, the god of wisdom and well-being Ganesha, one of the most revered gods in the Indian religion. The sculpture of Shiva's faithful servant, the bull Nandi, faithfully guards the entrance to the sacred place. The Ganesha Temple consists of four halls, following one after another. The hall in the form of a truncated pyramid is intended for sacrifices. It is followed by a dancing hall. Then comes the main hall and finally, the main pearl of the temple – the sanctuary with a majestic tower 55 meters high. Richly decorated with fine stone carvings and numerous images of women and sacred animals, the central tower is topped with a dome and a spire supported by lion statues. The lions were a symbol of King Yayati, hence the belief that the temple was built earlier. The second temple is dedicated to the god of war and the second son of Shiva, Skanda, and the third – to his beloved wife - the goddess Parvati. The image of Shiva itself is represented by an eight-meter granite lingam – a symbol of male power, installed in the center of the yoni – a symbol of female power. You don't have to be a connoisseur of Hinduism to appreciate all the splendor of the Lingaraja Temple, but you can only understand this cheerful and hospitable nation after getting to know its shrine.