Mukteshwara temple

After Parshurameshwar I came out of the compound and looked at the street it was lined with beautiful trees. The weather was pleasant so I decided to explore the other temples on foot. 

I passed by a Daiteshwar temple that looked straight out of Jungle book. It had a peepal growing over the vimana. Yet again a Shiva temple. I was definitely noting to myself that this was a Shaiva Kshetra. 

I went inside the Mukteshvar temple complex. The main temple is smaller than Parshurameshwar temple. The grand torana making it stand out. Though a Hindu temple it shows influences of Buddhist style of decorative carvings. The jaali work is also a unique feature of this temple. 

There are other smaller temples and some devis in open spaces this is surrounded by a compound wall. This complex is the best work in Kalinga architecture. It is grander in layout than Parshurameshwar. The Marich kunda is a pond where people have a ritual bath. There is also a well whose waters have miraculous powers to cure infertility. 

I noticed that there were huge black curtains put up to form a sort of a background. Some sound systems were being set up. I was cursing them in the day time. Read on to know what brought me back to Mukteshvar at night.