Bhubaneswar: Popularly known as the seat for tantric rituals in the district, the Indra Lath Temple at Ranipur Jharial in Balangir is an architectural marvel built with red bricks.
The tallest temple of the state stands majestically beside the Chausathi Yogini. Standing majestically at a height of 75 ft, it is believed to be built during the 10th century. Historians are of the view that this is one of the few oldest temples in India built with bricks.
According to archaeologist Jeevan Patnaik, the Indra Lath Temple is believed to be built during the reign of the Som Dynasty of Keshari royalty. Patnaik said the renovation of the ancient temple has been taken up by the state archaeology. During the course of the renovation, archaeologists found out that the red bricks were laced with rice bran. He said the temple is believed to be named after King Indreswar of the Som Dynasty. The ancient lore says that Lord Indra had once descended on earth to worship Lord Shiva here.
The façade of the Shiva Temple was made up of stones. The temple has idols of Vishnu, Uma Maheswar, Kartikeya and Ganesh.
The Postal Department of India has brought out a special stamp to commemorate the temple. A government entity in the power sector in Odisha had used the image of Indra Lath Temple in its calendar in 2015.
