Lovebirds flock to Orissa temple

[Guest guest]

Lovebirds flock Orissa love temple

 

Jajati Karan

CNN-IBN

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

 

LOVE TEMPLE: On V-Day the Kedar Gouri temple has

special significance for lovers.

 

Bhubaneswar: Love is God - quite literally for many

young couples in Bhubaneswar like 22-year-old Snigdha

and 23-year-old Ramaballav.

 

Every year on Valentine's Day the young couple begin

their day at a 11th century Kedar Gouri temple in

Bhuabenswar or the temple of the gods of love.

 

"This is the best place for true lovers and there cannot be

a better day than the Valentine Day to visit this temple

which symbolises love," says Snigdha

 

Another student Indurekha Tripathy adds, "We spend lot

of time in parks and restaurants, but on Valentine Day

this is the best place to visit. I have been coming here for

the last five years."

 

Shiva and Goddess Parvati are worshiped but more than

that it's a Romeo Juliet like legend that makes the temple

so popular among young lovers.

 

It is said that more than thousand years back, a young

couple Kedar and Gouri fell in love but their families

opposed their marriage. The couple eloped and was to

meet at the very place, where the temple now stands,

which was a jungle then.

 

But when Gouri reached this place she found her lover,

Kedar, dead after he was attacked by a tiger in the jungle.

Gouri too committed suicide.

 

It is believed that the then-king of the area built this

temple in their memory

 

"This is a popular legend and there is even literary

evidence to this belief. But whether it has any historical

connection it is a matter of research," says

Superintendent, State Archaeology, Dr B K Rath.

 

"When we came to know about this legend we see our

love reinforced. This temple tells us about love and

sacrifice," says a tourist Tarun Majumdar.

 

Some archeological experts say Kedar and Gouri actually

symbolises Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. But

irrespective of what the experts say this temple has

become a symbol of love for many couples in

Bhubaneswar.

 

Source:

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/love-birds-flock-orissas-taj-mahal/33550-

3.html

or

http://tinyurl.com/2cz72v