Nilakantheswar Temple

Nilakantheswar temple
Nilakantheswar temple Location in Odisha
Name
Odia	ନୀଳକଣ୍ଠେଶ୍ବର ମନ୍ଦିର
Geography
Coordinates	19°14′34″N 83°49′05″E / 19.24278°N 83.81806°E / 19.24278; 83.81806Coordinates: 19°14′34″N 83°49′05″E / 19.24278°N 83.81806°E / 19.24278; 83.81806
Country	India
State	Odisha
Location	Padmapur
Culture
Primary deity	Lord Shiva
Architecture
Inscriptions	Bramhi
History and governance
Date built	07th century A.D.

Lord

Nilakantheswar Temple at Padmapur, standing on the Jagamanda hills makes the village well known for the Buddhist temple. The temple is built on only seven rocks. There are also three other shiva temples, i.e. Pudukeswar, Dhabaleswar, and Mallikeswar, on the hillock. This 7th century old buddhist temple makes Padmapur a tourist center of Rayagada district. The temple is very often referred as shrine of Manikeswar Siva. Recently a small cemented front hall has been added to the original structure.

The temple dates back to the 7th century. Padma Shri Dr. Satyanarayana Rajguru, an eminent historian and epigraphist, relying on a buddhist inscription found on one of the rocks of the temple, identifies that the temple once housed the buddhist logician-philosopher, Dharmakirti. It is the only Buddhist monastery in Rayagada district of the Indian state of Odisha. The festival of Maha Sivaratri is celebrated here. Visitors and devotees visit this place, the special day being Tuesday.