Built in the year of AD 950 at Bhubaneswar, Mukteswara temple is devoted to Lord Shiva and carved with figures of ascetics in several poses of meditation. The most significant feature of the temple is the glorious torana - the decorative gateway, an arched masterpiece, evocative of Buddhist authority in Orissa.

Arcitecture:
Dating back to the 10th century, The Mukteswara Temple is considered the gem of Orissan architecture. The sculptured gateway, the jagamohana comprising the diamond shaped latticed windows and decorated interiors and the surplus of sculptural work, all unraveled in this temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Although a diminutive monument rising to a height of 35 feet, factually, every inch of its surface is carved. The temple has also been illustrated, as a dream brought to life in sandstone and a monument where sculpture and architecture are in absolute conformity with one another.

The sculptural decoration of the Mukteswara is elegantly executed. The beautiful sculptures eloquently speak of the sense of proportion and perspective of the sculptor and their unique ability in the exact depiction of the minutest objects. The builders of Mukteswara Temple introduced new architectural designs, new art motifs and new conceptions about the icnography of the cult images. There are a number of depictions of skeletal ascetics among the sculptural images, most of them shown in teaching or meditation poses, which seems appropriate as the name Mukteswara means "Lord who gives freedom through Yoga".

The sophisticated architectural manner holds a captivating appeal that lies in its aboriginal glory. Orissan temples like others in India are not merely abodes of deities but a Shraddhanjali (offering) to the sacred. Characterised by exquisite, elaborately carved Gods and Goddesses, kings and queens, animals and flower motifs, Orissa is perhaps the only State where one can discern temple architecture in all the successive stages of its development. This skillfully ornamented, ornately carved temple is not any different from the Parsurameswar temple. It is one of the smallest and the most compact temples. The priest and the devotees use the tank within the compound. It is believed that tossing coins in the well cure women suffering from infertility. On the doorframe one can observe the carvings of the local saint, Lakulisa. Its earthy red sandstone body is coated with intricate carvings, depicting famished, lean looking Sadhus (holy men) to voluptuous women bedecked with jewels.

The temple`s most characteristic feature is the arched gateway also called "Torana" dated about 900 A.D, illustrating the influence of Buddhist architecture. This thick pillared, arched gateway is magnificently carved with strings of beads and other attractive ornaments with statues of cheerful women in dreamy postures. In the yard stands the Kedareswar Temple, with a striking 8 feet statue of Ram Bhakt Hanuman with its petite dimension (10.5m height) and red stone brickwork; it is a glorious synthesis of the old and recent styles of the Kalinga School. With a fully developed pancharatha for the main sanctuary and a square planned jagmohana (porch or entrance) and a nascent pidha superstructure in the shape of a stepped pyramid, every inch of the exterior consists of elegant and discrete carvings, such as the clear cut lacings of the Chaitya windows. The rounded edges of the pagas (segments) furnish the temple with an appeasing look. Both the temple and the porch stand on a low pedestal surrounded by a low wall with offset projections and sculptured exterior facing west. The porch is notable for the sculptural treatment of the interior - a rare feature in Orissan Temples.

On the outer face of the compound wall are niches containing a variety of divinities. These include Saraswati (sitting on a lotus with two female attendants by her side), Ganesha (with his attendant mouse), and Lakulisha (the fifth century founder of the Pashupata sect of tantric Shaivism), who is portrayed sitting cross-legged, with two miniature ascetic figures in the triangular side panels. The fact that these wall niches include Buddhist and Jain images as well as Shaivite (Hindu) ones, asserts the synthesis, which was a part of Orissan religious life. The `torana` (arched gateway) of the Mukteswara deserves special attention. Its extraordinarily beautiful sculpture includes elaborate scrolls, graceful female figures, monkeys, peacocks, and a wealth of delicate and lovely ornamental detail. On the eastern side of the temple compound is a sacred tank, and in the southwest corner is a well, which is said to treat fertility problems. Several small shrines are observed within the compound, many with lingam inside. These were offering shrines depicting utmost faith in God for all purposes during that era.