Odisha: Jagatsinghpur heritage walk explores ancient Jhankeswar Mahadev temple

Bhubaneswar, Nov 2 (UNI) An ancient Shiva shrine, believed to date back to the 9th-10th century AD, took centre stage during the 21st Jagatsinghpur Heritage Walk, as participants explored the historic Jhankeswar Mahadev Temple at Biritola in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district. Located in the Tirtol block, the temple is believed to be contemporaneous with the Sarala Temple at Jhankad. Though the present structure is a modern reconstruction, it preserves several ancient relics, including a graceful Uma-Maheshwara idol and sculptures of attendant deities such as Ajaikapada Bhairava, Mahishamardini Durga, Ganesha, Kartikeya and Parvati. Ranjan Kumar Panda, chief priest of the Sarala Temple,…