Kapilash Temple (Chandrasekhara Mahadeva Temple)
Shiva (as Chandrasekhara Mahadeva) temple · Kapilash (near Deogaon), Dhenkanal, Odisha, India
Kapilash Temple, also known as the Chandrasekhara Mahadeva Temple, is a Shiva shrine on Kapilas hill in Dhenkanal district, Odisha. The Dhenkanal district administration describes the temple of Lord Chandrasekhar as standing on the highest peak of the Kapilas range, at a height of about 457 metres, and notes that the place is identified with Kailash, the mythical home of Shiva.
Pilgrims reach the shrine either by a long stairway of about 1,351 steps or by a ghat road. The temple is a protected monument of the Archaeological Survey of India and is also under the Endowment Department of the Government of Odisha, according to heritage documentation compiled for the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA). It is a living temple, and Maha Shivaratri is its busiest time of year.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Kapilash Temple (Chandrasekhara Mahadeva Temple)
The presiding deity, according to the IGNCA record, is a Patalaphuta Shiva linga (one believed to have emerged from below the earth) set in a circular yonipitha of black chlorite. Odisha Tourism describes Kapilash as a major Shaiva pilgrimage centre that is locally called the 'Kailash of Odisha', and notes that devotees regard Mondays as an especially auspicious day to visit.
The name is linked by tradition with the sage Kapila, who is said to have had an ashram on the hill, and an article in The Tribal Tribune suggests the name may also come from the Sanskrit 'Kailasa'. The same article notes that the name Kapilasa appears in Sarala Das's 15th-century Odia Mahabharata. The district administration associates the hill with Sridhar Swami, the well-known commentator on the Bhagavata, and with Mahima Gosain, founder of the Mahima tradition.
The hill has a number of other sacred spots, including caves linked with Puranic stories and the ruins of a medieval fort, which pilgrims visit as part of their trip, according to the district administration. Odisha Tourism mentions shrines to Narayana, Biswanath and Parvati on the hill, as well as a cave that tradition links with Sita and the birth of Lava and Kusha.
Heritage
History of Kapilash Temple (Chandrasekhara Mahadeva Temple)
The IGNCA record dates the main temple to the 13th century CE, during the rule of the Eastern Ganga dynasty in Odisha, on the basis of its architecture and sculpture. Inscriptions on the kalasa (finial) of the temple, which is called Sikharesvara in old records, are attributed to the Ganga king Narasimha I; according to The Tribal Tribune, one of them records that Narasimha Deva built a temple for Kailasa-Sikharesvara, and two others record grants of villages. Wikipedia gives the construction date as 1246 CE. A heritage note of the National Culture Fund instead dates the completion to 1335–36 CE under Narasimha Deva II, so the exact date is not settled.
Later rulers of Dhenkanal added to the complex. The Tribal Tribune credits Raja Bhagirathi Mahendra Bahadur (1830–1877) with the wooden mandapa. About 50 metres east of the main shrine stands the Narayana temple, which the IGNCA dates to the 18th century; it records that the temple was built by a ruler of the former Dhenkanal state, while The Tribal Tribune credits a Dhenkanal queen. The Biswanath temple to the east of the main shrine is believed by some to be as old as the original temple.
In November 2015 three stone images of Ganesha, Durga and Bhairavi, each three to four feet tall, were reported stolen from near the entrance of the temple complex; the Odisha Sun Times reported that the temple administration had lodged a police complaint.
Architecture and sacred features
According to the IGNCA documentation, the temple is built in the Kalinga style and has a rekha (curvilinear) vimana over the sanctum, a pidha (tiered roof) jagamohana and a muktimandapa, with small niche shrines added over the side-deity niches. The temple faces south-east, is pancharatha on plan (five projections on each side) and is built of khondalite stone in dry ashlar masonry, later coated with lime plaster. The Tribal Tribune puts the height of the main tower at about 60 feet.
The walls carry images of the dikpalas (guardians of the directions) and their consorts, female figures, gaja-vidalas (lion-on-elephant figures) and royal figures. The wooden ceiling of the muktimandapa is painted with scenes from Krishna's life and the ten avatars of Vishnu. Images of Ganesha, Kaumari and Uma-Maheshvara are kept in the temple, and Odisha Tourism notes that Jagannath appears as a side deity on the wall near the entrance.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
The climb by the stairway is long and steep, so allow plenty of time and carry water. Crowds are heaviest on Maha Shivaratri. The temple is a protected monument, so do not touch or climb on the carvings. Confirm current timings and arrangements with the temple administration or the Dhenkanal district administration before travelling.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Endowment Department, Government of Odisha; monument protected by the ASI before travelling. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Kapilash Temple (Chandrasekhara Mahadeva Temple)
Maha Shivaratri
The district administration describes thousands of pilgrims climbing to Kapilas on the night sacred to Shiva; it is the temple's main festival.
Kartika Purnima
Listed by the IGNCA record among the observances at the temple.
Rakhi Purnima
Also listed by the IGNCA record among the temple's observances.
Location
How to Reach Kapilash Temple (Chandrasekhara Mahadeva Temple)
The Dhenkanal district administration gives Kapilas as about 26 km by road from Dhenkanal railway station, and names Biju Patnaik Airport, Bhubaneswar, about 106 km away, as the nearest airport. The IGNCA record places the temple about 17 km from Dhenkanal and 4 km from the village of Deogaon.
From the foot of the hill, visitors can climb the long flight of steps or use the ghat road. The district administration also lists a deer park and a science park near the hill.
Location: Kapilash (near Deogaon), Dhenkanal, Odisha, India
Nearest airport: Biju Patnaik Airport, Bhubaneswar (about 106 km, per the district administration)
Nearest railway station: Dhenkanal (about 26 km by road, per the district administration)
More in Hindu temples in Odisha · Shiva (as Chandrasekhara Mahadeva) temples · Temples in Dhenkanal District
Questions
Kapilash Temple (Chandrasekhara Mahadeva Temple): Frequently Asked Questions
Which deity is worshipped at Kapilash Temple?
Shiva, worshipped as Chandrasekhara Mahadeva. According to the IGNCA record, the deity is a Shiva linga set in a circular yonipitha of black chlorite.
How old is Kapilash Temple?
The IGNCA documentation dates it to the 13th century CE, in the Eastern Ganga period. Inscriptions on its finial are attributed to King Narasimha I. Wikipedia gives 1246 CE, while a National Culture Fund note gives 1335–36 CE.
How many steps lead up to Kapilash Temple?
The Dhenkanal district administration gives 1,351 steps, and the IGNCA record gives 1,352. There is also a ghat road to the temple.
Why is Kapilash called the Kailash of Odisha?
The district administration says the place is identified with Kailash, the mythical home of Shiva, and Odisha Tourism notes that it is locally called the 'Kailash of Odisha'.
Is Kapilash Temple a protected monument?
Yes. The IGNCA documentation records it as a protected monument of the Archaeological Survey of India, also under the Endowment Department of the Government of Odisha.
How do I reach Kapilash from Dhenkanal?
The district administration gives Kapilas as about 26 km by road from Dhenkanal railway station. The nearest airport is Bhubaneswar, about 106 km away.
Sources and attribution
- Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (heritage documentation) — Chandrasekhara Mahadeva Temple, Kapilas Hillock, Dist. Dhenkanal (OR/DKL-10)
- Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (heritage documentation) — Narayana Temple, Chandrasekhara Mahadeva Temple Complex, Kapilas Hillock (OR/DKL-11)
- Dhenkanal District Administration (Wayback Machine copy, October 2022) — Kapilash | Dhenkanal District
- Odisha Tourism (visitor blog on the official site) — Kapilash: Dhenkanal's Kailash of Odisha
- National Culture Fund, Ministry of Culture — Monuments of Odisha under Puri Circle
- The Tribal Tribune (Kailash Chandra Das) — Kapilas: A Centre of Cultural Activities
- Odisha Sun Times (Wayback Machine copy) — Three 700 year old idols stolen from Chandrasekhar Temple in Kapilash, Odisha
- Wikipedia — Kapilash Temple
Further reading: Kapilash Temple (Chandrasekhara Mahadeva Temple) on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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