Sobhaneswar Temple is a Shiva temple in the town of Niali in Cuttack district, dedicated to Sobhaneswar Mahadev. Heritage records place it in the 12th century, in the period of Ganga rule, and it is a protected monument of the Odisha State Archaeology. A large bull sculpture is described in front of the temple, and a sculpture shed built by the state archaeology department in 1971-72 stands beside it. Niali is on State Highway 60 in the south east of Cuttack district.
quick facts
- district
Cuttack
- dress code
Ethnic or traditional dress is customary.
how to reach
Niali is about 30 km from Bhubaneswar, which has the nearest airport and a main railway station. Cuttack railway station is about 47 km away. State Highway 60 runs through Niali, and the temple lies about 400 yards from it on the south western side of the town, on the left bank of the Prachi river.
address: Niali, Cuttack district, Odisha
history and significance
why it matters
The temple is dedicated to Sobhaneswar Mahadev, a form of Shiva, and is a protected monument of the Odisha State Archaeology. A large bull, the vahana of Shiva, is described in front of it.
history
The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts documentation assigns the temple to the 12th century and Ganga rule, possibly the closing years of that century under Anangabhima Deva II, whose years are given as 1190 to 1198. The same record notes an inscription on the east wall of the jagamohana that names a Nagavamsi king, Vaidyanatha, most likely a vassal of the Ganga rulers, as the builder, and says the temple is a renovated one. The sources therefore differ on who built it, and the date is inferred from architecture and sculpture. A sculpture shed built by the state archaeology department in 1971-72 beside the temple holds sculptures including eight Vishnu images, a Varaha and a Yama.
what to see
The temple has a rekha vimana and a pidha jagamohana, both square on plan, standing on a platform about 1.65 m high and facing east. It is built of sandstone with a laterite compound wall. The record says a pillared Nandi mandapa and a mukti mandapa were also part of the original complex. A large bull sculpture is described in front of the temple.
Sculptures including Vishnu images, a Varaha and a Yama are kept in a sculpture shed next to the temple.
nearby
- Madhaba Temple, about 8 km away, a Vishnu shrine
- Kakatpur Mangala Temple, about 26 km
- Konark Sun Temple, about 35 km
- Puri Jagannath Temple, about 60 km
- Cuttack, the district headquarters, about 42 km
other temples nearby3
questions visitors ask
Which deity is worshipped at Sobhaneswar Temple?
The temple is dedicated to Sobhaneswar Mahadev, a form of Shiva.
What is special about the bull at the entrance?
A large stone bull is described in front of the temple, and web accounts call it the largest in India. No measured comparison with other bulls was found, so treat that as a local claim.
How far is Niali from Bhubaneswar?
About 30 km according to Wikipedia. Bhubaneswar has the nearest airport.