Kedar Gouri is a pair of temples, Kedareswar for Shiva and Gouri for Parvati, in Bhubaneswar on the road to Puri, about forty metres south of the Mukteswara Temple. Kedareswar is counted among the eight Astasambhu temples of Bhubaneswar. It faces south, and its sanctum holds a circular yonipitha whose linga is missing. Local legend tells of a couple, Kedar and Gouri. A devotional temple listing links it to the marriage of Lingaraja and Parvati at Sheetala Sashthi.
quick facts
- district
Khordha
- dress code
Ethnic or traditional dress is customary.
know before you go
do
- Remove footwear before entering the temple compound
- Keep your voice low inside the shrine
- Follow the guidance of the temple servitors
- Make room for devotees who are praying
avoid
- Do not climb on the structures or touch the carvings
- Do not litter the compound or the tank
- Do not block the doorways while others wait to worship
how to reach
The temple is in the Kedara-Gouri precinct on the right side of the road to Puri in Bhubaneswar, about 40 metres south of the Mukteswara Temple, and is reached by road within the city.
address: Kedar Gouri Chowk, Lewis Road, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Khordha district, Odisha
history and significance
why it matters
Kedar Gouri is the main temple of a complex of about ten monuments in the Kedara-Gouri precinct. The tank beside it is said to have medicinal properties, and couples pray here for a smooth marriage.
A devotional temple listing says that at Sheetala Sashthi the deity of Lingaraja is brought in procession from the Lingaraja Temple to marry Parvati at this temple. The sources consulted give no official account of this.
history
No documented history for the temple has been found. An Archaeological Survey of India record notes that it resembles the Siddhesvara temple in the Muktesvara complex in its architectural features and the scheme of decoration, and suggests that it can be assigned to the Ganga period. A date is not given.
Local tradition tells of a couple, Kedar and Gouri, who left their village after their union was opposed. Kedar was killed by a tiger while he searched for food, and Gouri, hearing of his death, drowned herself in a pond. King Lalatendu Keshari of Utkal is said to have built the temple in response. This is a legend, not a verified account.
what to see
The temple is of the pancharatha plan and faces south. The vimana is of the rekha order and stands about 13.5 metres from base to finial. The jagamohana is of the pidha order, and its tower has eleven receding tiers. The sanctum is about 2.5 metres square and sits about 0.7 metres below the present ground level. The sanctum holds a circular sandstone yonipitha with the central linga missing.
Kedareswar is the main temple of a precinct of about ten monuments on the right side of the road to Puri.
rituals and festivals
A devotional temple listing says that during Sheetala Sashthi the deity of Lingaraja is taken in a procession from the Lingaraja Temple to the Kedar Gouri temple, where he marries Goddess Parvati. ASI survey records also list Siva-vivaha and Dasahara among the rituals observed here.
nearby
- Mukteswara Temple, about 40 metres to the north
- Lingaraja Temple, in the old town
- Vaital Deul, reached by a lane from Kedar Gouri Chowk
other temples nearby7
questions visitors ask
What is the Kedar and Gouri legend?
According to local tradition, a couple named Kedar and Gouri fled their village. Kedar was killed by a tiger, Gouri drowned herself in a pond, and King Lalatendu Keshari is said to have built the temple. This is a legend, not documented history.
What happens during Sheetala Sashthi?
A devotional temple listing says that the deity of Lingaraja is carried in procession from the Lingaraja Temple to Kedar Gouri, where he marries Goddess Parvati. The sources consulted give no official account of this.
Is the linga present in the sanctum?
The sanctum has a circular sandstone yonipitha but the central linga is missing.
