Bhubaneshwar

(2001 est. pop. 647,000). The capital of the Indian state of Orissa since 1948, Bhubaneshwar lies in the district of Puri and is famous for its Hindu temples. Most of the temples of Bhubaneshwar were built between the seventh and thirteenth centuries. The remains of 500 temples still stand around the Bindu Sagar Lake in the Old City. The important temples include the Lingaraja Temple (eleventh through fifteenth centuries), the Parasurameshwara Temple (seventh and eighth centuries), the Mukteshwara Temple (early tenth century) and the Kapileshwara Temple (mid-fifteenth century).

Bhubaneshwar's history dates to the third century BCE. It served as the capital of the Kalinga kingdom in the fourth and fifth centuries CE. The seventh century CE saw the establishment of the Saivite Hindu tradition in the region under the rule of King Sasanka. After Sasanka's death, the Bhauma Kara dynasty came to power, followed by the Soma dynasty. Muslim forces made their presence felt at the end of the sixteenth century. Finally it became British territory in 1757 when Robert Clive defeated the Bengal Nawab Siraj-ud-daula.

Bhubaneshwar today is divided into two sections, the Old City and a modern New City, designed by the architect Otto Koenigsberger, and is an important commercial and political center. Significant industries include cotton textiles and electronics.

Kalia, Ravi. (1994) From a Temple Town to a Capital City. Delhi and Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Mitchell, George. (1989) "Bhubaneshwar." In The Penguin Guide to the Monuments of India, edited by George Mitchell. London and New York: Viking, vol. 1: 219–226.