Made using sandstone, the Rajarani Temple is an ancient space of worship in Bhubaneswar that is famed for its sculpted figures and tiers of projections, rising to form its 18-m-high tower. With a lush green cover around it, the temple has picturesque surroundings. Interestingly, there have been claims that it used to be a Vaishnava temple earlier, but the presence of several sculptures has successfully repudiated that particular belief. In fact, in contravention of the belief, there are Shaiva sculptures carved on the body of the main temple.

Flowers and animals along with human figurines are intricately carved on this temple's walls. Many have claimed that the Rajarani Temple bears a strong resemblance to the temples of Khajuraho. Around the shrine are sculpted dikpalas or guardians of the eight directions, again, impressively and finely carved. There are sculptures of the devas - Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirriti, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera and Isana as well.

The Rajarani Temple is noted for the amazing nayikas (temple figures) that are carved in high relief on the walls. These include figures of a mother taking care of her child, a woman checking her reflection in a mirror, taking off her anklet, playing with a bird, playing an instrument, and holding the branches of trees. Lord Shiva and his female consort are, in fact, depicted dancing in the company of attendants holding musical instruments on three panels inside the main temple itself. Surprisingly, no deity is worshipped in the Rajarani Temple.

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