Kapilesvara Siva Temple
The Kapilesvara temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in the south western outskirt of the village Kapilesvara, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. It is located at the end of Kapilesvara road leading from Lingaraj temple to Kapilesvara Village. The presiding deity is a Siva-lingam at the center of a circular yonipitha inside the sanctum. It is a living temple, facing towards east and maintained by Kapilesvara Temple Trust Board. The temple is situated within the precinct along with 33 other monuments. The precinct is located on the northern embankment of Manikarnika tank over an area of 44.00 square metres.
Tradition and legends
According to the local legend this is the birthplace of Lord Shiva, who is considered as father of the Universe. He is also seen as the brain child of Brahma, an incarnation of Vishnu and Lord Shiva himself. Hence, it is a sacred place where the shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva.The Temple
The dominant feature of the temple is the high temple and its adjacent pond, surrounded by stone steps. The temple is a satellite of the main temple in Bhubaneswar, the Lingaraj temple. Both temples, like other temples in India are centres of social, political, and educational activities. Until the middle of the 20th century, the temple dominated the economic, political and ritual life of the place. The temple was built during 14th Century CE during Gajapati rule of Kapilendra Deva. Inscription of Kapilendra deva and other architectural sculptural fragments suggest the original temple could be earlier than 11th century CE.Architectural features
The entire temple was renovated at a later date with the building materials of the original one. The temple has a vimana, jagamohana, nata-mandira and bhoga-Mandapa. The vimana is in rekha order, jagamohana is pidha and nata-mandira and bhoga mandapa are flat roofed and of later constructions. The vimana measuring in height has usual bada, gandi and mastaka. The lower potala has five tiers and the upper poatala has four tiers in pyramidal elevation.The parsvadevata niches located on the raha paga of the tala jangha on the three sides of north, west and south and enshrine Parvati, Kartikeya and Ganesha respectively. The Talagarvika below the niche is decorated with a series of Khakhara mundis flanked by naga nagi pilasters. The niche is flanked by two pilasters that are carved with Kirtimukha at the center of the pilaster and the niche is crowned by Urdhagarvika. The western raha niche houses four armed Kartikeya standing in tribhanga over a lotus pedestal with his upper left hand is holding a cattle drum, the upper right hand is holding a trident and while the major left hand is holding a cock and right hand is in varadamudra. The image is crowned by jatamukuta and at the corners there are flying Vidyadharas and diminutive male worshipers at the base of the pedestal. The northern raha niche houses a four-armed Parvati standing over a lotus pedestal. The image is partly damaged. She is holding lotus in her major left hand and naga pasa in the uplifted left hand, major right hand is in varada mudra and the uplifted right hand is broken. Flanked by two diminutive female attendants holding sakti, the image has jatamukuta. The southern raha niche enshrines a four-armed Ganesha standing in tribhanga over a pedestal. His right hand is holding an akhyamala, left hand a Parasu while the uplifted left hand is holding a Modaka patra the uplifted right hand holds a tusk. The image has a Jatamukuta.
At the Lalatabimba there is a Gajalakshmi seated in lalitasana over a lotus pedestal. She holds lotus in her both hands; above the lotus two elephants are pouring water over the deity. At the base of the doorjambs and beneath the dvara sakhas there are two pidha mundi niches that house Saivate dvarapalas along with river goddesses of the Ganges and Yamuna mounted over their respective mounts.
Adi Kapilesvara Shrine
Adi kapilesvara Siva Temple is located in the Kapileswara temple precinct and it is a living temple and facing west. The enshrined deity is a Siva lingam within a circular yonipitha made of black chlorite. The temple is surrounded by the precinct compound wall in east, Ghanteswar temple in west and Baidyanath temple in south. The temple has a vimana depicting pancha ratha and a frontal porch. The gandi of the temple has set in three receding tiers. The mastaka consists of beki, ghanta, amlaka, khapuri, kalasa and ayudha.Baidyanatha Siva Temple
The Baidyanatha Siva temple is located in Kapilesvara temple precinct and the enshrined deity is a Siva lingam over a circular "yonipitha", made in sandstone. The temple is under the care and maintenance of Kapilesvara Temple Trust Board. According to local legend Lord Baidyanath is the god for curing ailments and diseases. So ailing people offer special prayer and surrender before the Lord when suffering from diseases. It was built around 18th century. The temple is facing towards west. There is an inscription on the lintel in the western wall written in Odia script. The inscription has seven lines paleographically. It can be ascribed to the 18th century.Physical description
;SurroundingThe temple is surrounded by gateway of Rosasala in the west at a distance of, Kapilesvara–I in south at distance of, north eastern gateway at a distance of and compound wall in the east.
;Architectural features
On plan the temple measures. On elevation the vimana is of pidha order that measures in height, bada measures . The gandi of the temple measures and mastaka. The temple has four gateways, one on each side.
Mallia are priests of the Temple.
| Classification | Grade |
| Architecture | C |
| Historic | C |
| Associational | B |
| Social/Cultural | B |