Panchalingeswar Temple sits on a hillock near Nilagiri in Balasore district. It is named for the five self-manifested Shiva lingas enshrined in a natural rock hollow, over which a perennial stream flows. Devotees reach the lingas by lying flat on the rock beside the water. The setting is wooded and hilly, which gives the shrine a calm, natural character unlike a built temple complex.
quick facts
- district
Balasore
- dress code
Ethnic or traditional dress is customary.
know before you go
do
- Remove footwear before approaching the shrine
- Follow the guidance of local priests at the water
- Keep the stream and hillock clean
avoid
- Do not litter on the hillock or in the stream
- Do not crowd the lingas
how to reach
Balasore is the nearest city, about 28 km away, with regular transport between Balasore and Panchalingeswar. Nilagiri is the nearest town. Regular buses run from Bhubaneswar to both Nilagiri and Balasore.
Bhubaneswar airport is about 200 km away and Kolkata airport about 250 km.
address: Panchalingeswar, near Nilagiri, Balasore district, Odisha
history and significance
why it matters
The shrine is a Shaiva pilgrimage site where worship takes place at natural lingas washed by a spring that does not run dry.
Tradition links the lingas to Sita during the exile of Rama, and also to King Banasura.
history
No verified history is available. Two traditions are told. In one, Sita, wife of Rama, is said to have enshrined the lingas during the exile. In the other, King Banasura is said to have worshipped the swayambhu, self-manifested, lingas because of the beauty of the place.
Both accounts are folk tradition and no dated record was found. The site itself is a natural water reservoir in the rock, with the five lingas inside, and the perennial flow over them is the central feature of its fame.
what to see
The sanctum is a natural rock formation rather than a built shrine. The five lingas stand in a natural reservoir, with water flowing over them from a stream.
nearby
- Nilagiri town and Nilagiri hill
other temples nearby1
questions visitors ask
What is special about Panchalingeswar?
Five self-manifested Shiva lingas stand in a natural rock reservoir, with a perennial stream flowing over them.
How are the lingas worshipped?
Worshippers lie flat on the rock beside the stream to reach the lingas in the water.
Who is said to have enshrined the lingas?
Tradition names Sita during the exile of Rama, and another tradition names King Banasura as a worshipper. Neither is dated.