Rameshwar Deula, Hindu temple in Bhubaneswar, India.
Rameshwar Deula is a Shiva temple in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, built in the Kalinga style on a solid foundation. It is a single tall chamber with no second hall: one entrance at the front and three windows on the other sides. Its walls carry carvings and painted figures, a circular section tops the tower, and the stone used is sandstone.
The temple is dated to between the 9th and 10th centuries, and the Bengali source notes it is roughly 300 years older than the nearby Lingaraj Temple. Legend credits its founding to Ramachandra, who set up a linga here after returning from Lanka. The building is attributed to the Kalinga style of Odisha.
The temple is called Mausi Maa, "aunt mother", because it is regarded as the aunt of Shiva, the daughter of Mithila. Legend says Sita asked Rama to worship Shiva here on his return from Lanka, so he built a linga for the purpose. During Ashokashtami, one day before Rama Navami in Chaitra, Lingaraja is carried here on the Rukuna Rath and stays four days.
The temple sits close to other well-known temples in the old part of Bhubaneswar and can easily be visited on foot as part of a wider tour of the area. Visitors should wear modest clothing and remove shoes before entering, as is customary at Hindu temples.
During the Ashokashtami festival, a major deity from a nearby temple is brought here by chariot and remains for four days, turning this site into the temporary center of one of the biggest regional celebrations. This tradition draws large crowds from across the area each year.
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