Sri Sri Harishankar Devasthana, in India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, is on the slopes of the beautiful Gandhamardhan hills

Gandhamardhan hills

Gandhamardan Hills or Gandhamardan parbat is a hill located in between Balangir and Bargarh district of Western Orissa. This hill is well known for medicinal plants. Moreover, this hill also has a lot of historic importance as it was once a seat of Buddhist culture. Till to date many ruins found on...

, Orissa

Orissa

Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...

. It is popular for its scenes of nature and presence of two Hindu lords, Vishnu

Vishnu

Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....

 and Shiva

Shiva

Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...

. As a holy place, along with a beautiful stream passing on the granite bed, it has given some visitors a feeling of peace. On the opposite of side of the Gandhamardhan hills

Gandhamardhan hills

Gandhamardan Hills or Gandhamardan parbat is a hill located in between Balangir and Bargarh district of Western Orissa. This hill is well known for medicinal plants. Moreover, this hill also has a lot of historic importance as it was once a seat of Buddhist culture. Till to date many ruins found on...

 is the temple of Nrusinghanath. The plateau between the two temples has been found to have ancient Buddhist ruins, which are considered to be remnants of the ancient Parimalgiri University.

History

The deity of Harishankar was discovered by a Chauhan

Chauhan

Chauhan, Chouhan or Chohan , , - is a clan who ruled parts of northern India in the Middle Ages. The clan is most famous for Rajput King Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan...

 dynasty king of Western Orissa, during the 14th century. From that time, the deity has been worshipped. A dancing Ganesha

Ganesha

Ganesha , also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh, also known as Ganapati , Vinayaka , and Pillaiyar , is one of the deities best-known and most widely worshipped in the Hindu pantheon. His image is found throughout India and Nepal. Hindu sects worship him regardless of affiliations...

 image has been found, which can be traced to the early 12th century. The temple was constructed by the order of then queen Durlabha Devi of Maharaja Vaijjal Dev Chauhan.

Location

It is located in the district of Balangir

Balangir

For Balangir District See : Balangir DistrictBalangir', is a city and municipality in Balangir district in the state of Orissa, India. It is also the headquarter of Balangir district.-Overview:...

, Orissa

Orissa

Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...

. The nearest railway station is at Khariar Road

Khariar Road

Khariar Road is a town and a notified area committee in Nuapada district in the Indian state of Orissa.-Demographics:As of the 2001 Indian census, Khariar Road had a population of 16,627. Males constituted 51% of the population and females 49%. Khariar Road had an average literacy rate of 61%,...

.