Aisanyesvara Siva Temple, Bhubaneswar: History, Timings & Visitor Guide

Aisanyesvara Siva Temple is open every day, usually from early morning to late evening with a break in the afternoon. Darshan and aarti timings change with the season and on festival days.

• MorningOpens early morning (around 5 to 6 AM)
• AfternoonShort break around midday at many temples
• EveningEvening aarti around sunset, closes by about 8 to 9 PM

Ask the temple office on arrival for the day's aarti schedule.

Dress Code & Temple Rules

• DressModest, traditional clothes covering shoulders and knees
• FootwearRemove before entering; use the shoe stand
• PhotographyNot allowed inside the sanctum
• Not AllowedLeather items, tobacco, alcohol, non-veg food
• QueueFollow queue lines and staff instructions on festival days

Architectural features like Saptaratha (seven chariots) plan that bears close resemblance with Megheswar Temple suggests that Aisanyesvara Siva Temple was built in the 13th century AD. Other architectural features suggests that it was built by Gangas.

Architecture of Aisanyesvara Siva Temple

The temple is constructed in the Kalinga architecture style using grey sandstone. Tala jangha and upara jangha are decorated with khakhara mundi and pidha mundi respectively. The pista has three mouldings, which is decorated with series of khakhara mundi. The anuratha paga(main portion) has series of khakhara mundis in succession, lotus cup in anuraha paga and 10 bhumi amlas in the kanika pagas. Two udyota lions are noticed in the gandi of rahapaga. At the base of the gandi in the frontal wall there is a miniature rekha angasikhara.

The doorjambs are decorated with three vertical bands of puspa sakha, patra sakha and lata sakha from exterior to interior. At the base of the doorjambs there are khakhara mundis on either sides. The deity of Lalatabimba Gajalaxmi is seated in lalitasana. In the architrave right above the jamb there is a navagraha panel, each graha within a niche. Surya (Sun god) holds lotus in his hands. Ketu (serpent god) is in serpent tail and holds bow in his left and a shield in the right hand. The temple is maintained by Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation. Aisanyesvara Siva Temple is in good state of preservation.