Dhabaleswar Temple is a Shiva temple on a small island in the Mahanadi river in Cuttack district, reached from the village of Mancheswar. The Archaeological Survey of India dates the present temple on architectural grounds to the 16th century, and a few older sculptures of the Ganga period kept in the compound suggest an earlier temple on the site. The island setting, the hanging footbridge and the Kartika fair make it a popular pilgrimage and day visit for people from Cuttack and Athagarh.
quick facts
- district
Cuttack
- best time to visit
Shivaratri and Kartika Purnima, and the Bada-osha fair in Kartika.
- dress code
Ethnic or traditional dress is customary.
know before you go
do
- Remove footwear before entering the temple precincts
- Follow the guidance of the temple servitors
- Keep to the footbridge and marked paths
avoid
- Do not litter on the island or in the river
- Do not crowd the footbridge on festival days
- Do not disturb worship in progress
how to reach
The temple is off the Cuttack to Dhenkanal highway, about 4 km from Nuapatana chowk. Buses run via Chowdwar, Nuapatana and Mancheswar. A hanging footbridge, for which a nominal fee is charged, links Mancheswar to the island and is the main route now. It has been closed at times for safety reasons. Boats were formerly used from Bidanasi.
Confirm current access and fees locally.
address: Mancheswar, Anantakuda, Athagarh tehsil, Cuttack district, Odisha
history and significance
why it matters
The name Dhabaleswar means the white lord. A local legend explains it: a thief who hid in the sanctum with a black calf was freed by the crowd when the calf appeared white. This is a folk account.
The temple is a Shaiva place of worship, with its main fairs at Shivaratri and Kartika.
history
The Archaeological Survey of India dates the present temple on architectural grounds to the 16th century, in the period of Suryavamsi Gajapati rule. A few detached sculptures of the Ganga period kept in the compound suggest an earlier temple on the site, of which no trace remains. Much of the renovation of the present temple was carried out by the former rulers of the Athagarh state, and a pillared mandapa in front of the jagamohana was added recently.
The name legend of the white calf is a folk explanation and is not documented history.
what to see
The temple has a rekha vimana and a pidha jagamohana in the Kalinga order, built of stone and brick with a thick coat of lime plaster and whitewash. It stands on an island in the river, and the exterior is plain apart from lion figures over the beki. A pillared mandapa in front of the jagamohana is a recent addition. The ASI record gives an approximate height of 15 m. A footbridge now links the island to Mancheswar.
rituals and festivals
Bada-osha is a large fair held on Shukla Paksha Chaturdashi of the Kartika month.
Shivaratri, Pausha Purnima, Dola Purnima and Kartika Purnima are also observed.
nearby
- Mahanadi river and the footbridge at Mancheswar
other temples nearby2
questions visitors ask
Where is Dhabaleswar Temple?
On an island in the Mahanadi river, reached from Mancheswar in Athagarh tehsil.
How do you reach the island?
By a hanging footbridge from Mancheswar, which is the main route now, with a nominal fee reported. It has been closed at times for safety reasons. Boats were used earlier.
Why is it called Dhabaleswar?
The name means the white lord. A folk legend says a black calf appeared white to the crowd, which freed a thief hiding in the sanctum.