Lokanatha Siva Temple

The Lokanatha Siva Temple is a Hindu shrine in Old Town Bhubaneswar featuring a vimana tower roughly 4.75 meters high constructed from sandstone blocks. The structure uses dry masonry techniques where stones are fitted together without mortar.

The temple was built in the 11th century during the Somavamsi period and remained hidden underground for centuries. Its entrance was uncovered during excavations in 1972.

The temple contains a central Siva lingam surrounded by a circular base and carved niches displaying various Saivite deities throughout its walls. This arrangement shapes how visitors move through the space and experience the different divine forms carved into the stone.

The temple sits near Bindu Sagar Lake and Tala Bazar Road, close to the Lingaraja police station compound on its north and east sides. Visitors should expect uneven ground and confined spaces since portions of the structure remain partially sunken.

The shrine is considered an architectural prototype for the larger Lingaraja Temple and demonstrates early experimental construction techniques. Its smaller scale allows visitors to grasp the fundamental design principles that were later applied on a grander scale.