Bhubaneswar,December 17: The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has completed the lighting of Anantavasudeva Temple, the only Vishnu temple in the Old Town area.

The lighting project of Anantavasudeva temple was commissioned under BDA’s Light Sculpture Project.

A matured Kalingan Temple, Anantavasudeva stands on a uniform platform in Panchyatana style. According to an inscription, the temple was built in honour of Lord Krishna and Balaram on the bank of Bindusagar by Chandrika Devi, daughter of Anangavimdeva III.

According to `Ekamra Chandrika’, Vishnu had established himself as the doorkeeper in Ekamra Kshetra on the order of Shiva. Thus, tradition calls for worship of Ananta Vasudeva before bathing in the holy Bindusagar.

“This is supposed to cleanse the soul. The temple kitchen prepares many delicacies and caters to many religious and secular functions in the city,’’ said archaeologist Jitu Mishra.

Besides the Anantavasudeva Temple the in Old Town area, 15 others have been taken up by the development authority to have a new look so that people would tend to have a walk around them, enjoy the ambience and take photographs.

The other 16 temples include Markandeswar Temple, Sari Temple, Vaital Temple, Bhabanisankar Temple, Chitrakrini Temple, Dakarabibhisaneswar Temple, Devi Padahara Temple, Bakreswar Temple, Nabakeswar Temple, Swarnajaleswar Temple, Papanasini and Maitreswar Temple, Aisaneswara Temple, Makareswar Temple, Dwaravashini Temple and Mohini Temple.