Godhaneswar Temple is located in Godhaneswar village, near Ulunda in Subarnapur District, Odisha.
Godhaneswar Temple is located on the picturesque bank of the Mahanadi River.
The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, worshipped here as Godhaneswar, meaning *“the Lord of the Cow Wealth.”*The temple is believed to be over 900 years old, dating back to the Somavamsi or early Chauhan period of Odisha’s temple architecture (10th–11th century CE).
The main deity is Lord Shiva, worshipped here as Godhaneswar — meaning “Lord of the Cows” (Go = Cow, Dhana = Wealth, Ishwar = Lord). Lord Shiva is shown in his lingam form, and the temple is also associated with Parvati Devi as his consort.
The temple follows the Kalinga architectural style typical of Odisha.
It has a rekha deula (curved spire) over the sanctum and a jagamohana (assembly hall) in front.
The outer walls have beautiful carvings of divine figures, animals, and floral designs. The temple’s serene backdrop of the Mahanadi enhances its divinity.
Long ago, the region around present-day Godhaneswar village was a lush green pastureland surrounded by forests and watered by the sacred Mahanadi River. Many cowherds from nearby villages used to bring their cattle here for grazing. Among them was a devout herdsman who took special care of his cows and spent much of his time in meditation and prayer while tending them.
One day, while observing his herd, the herdsman noticed something unusual. A particular cow refused to give milk to anyone after grazing. But every day, at a certain spot near the riverbank, that cow would stand still and pour all her milk on the ground as if offering it to someone unseen. The herdsman was puzzled by this strange behavior and decided to watch closely.
The next morning, he quietly hid behind a bush and waited. As the cow reached that same spot, she again stood still, lowered her head, and let her milk flow over a mound of earth. When the herdsman ran to the place after she left, he found the soil damp with milk. Out of curiosity, he called the villagers, and together they began digging the spot.
To everyone’s astonishment, they found a Shiva Lingam buried beneath the ground, shining with divine light. The villagers immediately realized that the cow had been worshipping Lord Shiva himself. They prostrated before the Lingam and offered prayers, recognizing the divine miracle that had taken place.
The elders of the village declared that the Lord who appeared through the devotion of a cow should be worshipped as “Godhaneswar”, meaning Lord (Ishwara) of the Cows (Go-Dhana). They built a small shrine over the Lingam with offerings of milk and flowers. Later, kings and devotees expanded it into a full-fledged temple on the banks of the Mahanadi River.
From that day onward, the temple became a holy seat of Go-seva (service to cows). It is believed that anyone who worships here with milk, or feeds cows near the temple attains the blessings of Lord Shiva and gains prosperity and peace in life.
Mahashivaratri is celebrated grandly with fasting, night-long prayers, and special rituals. During the Shravana month, daily Abhishekas are done with milk and honey offered by devotees.
Gopashtami, the sacred day celebrating Lord Krishna’s elevation from a cowherd boy to protector of cows, is also observed here with special Gau Puja (cow worship). Cows are decorated, worshipped, and fed, symbolizing gratitude for their divine role in human life.
