Harishankar Temple, Hindu temple in Balangir district, India
Harishankar Temple stands on forested slopes in Balangir district and shows stonework on walls, pillars and doorways that depict Hindu deities. The complex holds several smaller shrines around a central main temple, which you reach by stone steps winding through the grounds.
The first shrines may have risen in the 15th or 16th century, with local rulers supporting construction and later generations adding further buildings. Inscriptions on some walls name donors and craftsmen who took part in the expansion.
The name joins two deities, Hari for Vishnu and Shankar for Shiva, which brings pilgrims from different Hindu traditions to this place. You often see worshippers praying before the shrines in the courtyard and offering flowers and coconuts.
You can take buses from Balangir town center that run several times a day to the temple grounds, with the journey taking around an hour depending on road conditions. Overnight stays are possible at basic guesthouses near the entrance, though food options are usually limited.
Beside the main shrine, water flows over rock formations into small natural pools that visitors use for ritual washing. Some stones show rounded hollows shaped by centuries of flowing water.
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