Varahi Devi Temple - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Goddess Mangala is the presiding deity of this temple. Built in 15th century, the temple is a symbol of the ancient heritage of Kalinga. According to legend, the Goddess Mangala kept herself hidden under the waters of the River Prachi. One day a boatman was unable to cross the river in full spate when Maa Mangala told him in a dream to recover her from the middle of the river and establish her in the village of Mangalapur. He dived and recovered goddess idol and built the temple.

Dedicated to the Hindu Sun God Surya, what remains of the temple complex has the appearance of a 100-foot (30 m) high chariot with immense wheels and horses, all carved from stone. Once over 200 feet (61 m) high, much of the temple is now in ruins. The structures and elements that have survived are famed for their intricate artwork, iconography, and themes, including erotic kama and mithuna scenes.

This is a very old temple in Bhubaneswar, Khordha. It is located from 2 km distance from Lingaraj shrine. The architecture of this temple is a wonder of the ancient age.

It is one of the eight most famous Shakta shrines of Odisha. In Hindu culture, 'Maa Sarala' is a Goddess who acts as a patron of the followers of Vaishnav and Shakta.The current temple is approximately 500 years old, and was built by the Raja of Manijanga. The remnants of the old temple are not visible, but folklore suggests that it was sited at Badasarol.

Chausathi Jogini Temple is situated in a hamlet called Hirapur. The temple is believed to be built by the Queen Hiradevi of Bramha dynasty during the 9th century. It's built in a circular fashion, completely put together with blocks of Sandstone. The inside of the circular wall has cavities, each housing the statue of a Goddess. There are around 56 such idols, made of black granite, inscribed within the wall cavities, centring on the main idol which is the Goddess Kali.

Dhauli Giri is the site, on whose plains Kalinga War was fought. Adorned with a rock edict erected by the great emperor Ashoka of Maurya Dynasty, the hills are located on the banks of the Daya River. Seeing the Daya River that had turned to red by the Kalingan martyrs, Ashoka renounced war and embraced Buddhism. The bloodshed led Ashoka to change his mind, after which he laid down the weapons of violence and accepted a life of Ahimsa in the form of Buddhism.