Kedar Gauri Temple

Kedar Gauri Temple, located in old town area, is one of the eight Astasambhu (8 Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva) temples in Bhubaneswar. There are several legends associated with the construction of Kedar Gauri Temple. According to one, there lived a couple, Kedar and Gauri who decided to marry. The society, though, was against the union that led them to flee from village. During the journey, Gauri felt hungry and Kedar went to search for food during when he was killed by a tiger. When Gauri heard this, she jumped into a pond. After hearing the tragic episode, king Lalatendu Keshari raised a temple, called Kedar Gauri. Dedicated to Lord Shiva (who is also called the Kedareswar) and goddess Gauri, the temple is situated 40 m south of the Mukteswar Temple. In its premises there are two ponds―Khira Kund and Marichi Kund―that are said to have sacred powers. The temple is also famous for the Sitalsasthi Festival during when Lord Lingaraj from Lingaraj Temple is brought in a marriage procession to Kedar Gauri Temple, where he gets married to Devi Parvati. Other attractions of Kedar Gauri Temple are an 8-feet statue of Hanuman and goddess Durga standing on a lion.