Orissa has a rich legacy of temple construction. Bhubaneswar has numerous surviving temples. The most important among them are the Mukteshwar Temple (10th century), the Raja-Rani Temple and Lingaraj Temple (11th century). Some of the important temple sites include Konarak, Bhanpur and Khiching.
The scenes depicted on the walls of an ancient temple in Orissa are always pleasant and joyous. Gods and goddesses, whether Hindu, Jain or Buddhist, are young, beautiful and full of life. The temple's interior is dimly lit with completely bare walls. The atmosphere is conductive to directing the thoughts inwards and towards the contemplation of the deity enshrined within the shrine.
