How well do you know Bhubaneswar? Do you know that its name symbolises Lord Shiva from Hindu mythology? The rich heritage dates back to Vedic times & has made the city well known worldwide as the City of Temples. #ExperienceEkamra is a journey through time that explores the many untold stories & legends of the temple city, aka the Ekamra Kshetra.
Ekamra = Eka + Amra
As per ‘Ekamra Purana’, a 13th century Sanskrit treatise, the presiding deity of Lingaraj, Lord Shiva chose this place that had a single huge mango tree surrounded by a jungle of mango grooves under which He entered His meditative stage in disguise. Hence, the name of the area is derived as Ekamra Kshetra.
लिङ्गानां वै ज्योतिषां द्वादशानां राजत्येतत् संस्थितं लिङ्गराजम् ।
दिवैकाम्रे ब्रह्मलिङ्गं पुरानम् सितासितारूण नाद स्वरूपम् ।। २.६ ।।
Meaning:
The Lingaraj is Swayambhu, i.e, self-originated & self-manifested. His form resembles black, white & purple colours. He is also considered Nada Swarupa.
The above description of Shri Lingaraj is from “#EkamraChandrika”, an Odia-language poetry book authored by Shri Ratnakara Gargabatu and published in 1931. Known as the City of Temples, Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha, carries a rich history dating back to the Vedic times. The name of the city symbolises Lord Shiva from Hindu mythology and so does its story. Join us as we travel back in time to explore the many stories & legends of Temple City Bhubaneswar, also known as Ekamra Kshetra, and revel in the #ExperienceEkamra.
1st on our stop is the name, ‘Ekamra Kshetra’. As the story goes:
Varanasi, otherwise known as Kashi, the holy city on the bank of the pious river Ganga was the abode of Lord of Lords Mahadev & His wife Devi Parvati. With popularity among the Shaivites, Kashi began to attract huge crowds with time. The daily lives & chores of the masses resulted in chaos in the area, thus overshadowing the serenity of the holy place. Lord Shiva, the God of Salvation, fled Kashi in search of peace & serenity.
On his way towards the south, He found a place near the lower Ganges plain. Captured by its mystic ambience & pure serenity, He chose that place as his abode of tranquillity. The place had a single huge mango tree surrounded by a jungle of mango grooves under which Lord Shiva entered His meditative stage in disguise. That place was named “Gupta Kashi” & much later, the “#EkamraKshetra”.
Stay tuned to #ExperienceEkamra for more such content.
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