Where is situated 'Lingraj Temple'?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 3:
The Lingaraja Temple is one of the most historically significant and magnificent temples of India, and it is correctly situated in **Bhubaneswar**, the capital city of the state of Odisha. It represents the zenith of the Kalinga style of architecture, which flourished in this region between the 11th and 13th centuries CE. Dedicated to Harihara, a composite form of Shiva and Vishnu, the temple complex features a towering main sanctuary (Vimana) that dominates the city skyline, demonstrating the immense power and devotion of the Somavamsi and later Ganga rulers who oversaw its construction and expansion, particularly King Jajati Keshari. Bhubaneswar, known as the "Temple City," is incomplete without the spiritual and architectural landmark of Lingaraja.

The incorrect option is 1:
Kanchipuram is a well-known historical city in Tamil Nadu, famed for its ancient temples, but it is not the location of the Lingaraja Temple. This city was the capital of the Pallava dynasty, and its religious sites are characterized by Dravidian architecture, a completely different style from the Kalinga architecture seen at Lingaraja. Notable temples here include the Kailasanathar Temple and the Ekambareswarar Temple, which are pivotal examples of the Pallava and later Chola patronage in South India. Therefore, Kanchipuram belongs to a distinct geographical and architectural zone of Indian temple building.

The incorrect option is 2:
Osian is another incorrect option, as it is a small ancient town in Rajasthan, famous for a cluster of ruined Hindu and Jain temples dating from the 8th to 11th centuries. These temples predominantly follow the Pratihara style of architecture, which is characteristic of North-West India and bears no relation to the Eastern Indian Kalinga style of the Lingaraja Temple. Osian's temples are significant for their regional architectural history, but they are geographically distant and stylistically separate from the site of the Lingaraja Temple.

The incorrect option is 4:
Dilwara, Mount Abu, is incorrect because this site is renowned for the magnificent Dilwara Temples, a complex dedicated exclusively to the Jain faith. Located on Mount Abu in Rajasthan, these temples are celebrated globally for their extraordinary and minute marble carvings, particularly in the Vimal Vasahi and Luna Vasahi temples, dating from the 11th to 13th centuries. The religious affiliation (Jainism) and the architectural style (Māru-Gurjara) of Dilwara completely distinguish it from the Hindu Lingaraja Temple in Odisha.