Dhabaleswar is an easy temple to enjoy even without a devotional reason to go. The island sits in the Mahanadi upstream of Cuttack, the hanging bridge across is a small event in itself, and the whole thing works particularly well as a family outing rather than a pure pilgrimage stop.
About the shrine
A Shiva temple on an island in the middle of the Mahanadi, reached by a suspension footbridge. The setting does most of the work here — it is one of the few shrines in Odisha where the approach is as memorable as the temple.
- Deity
- Lord Shiva
- Location
- Dhabaleswar Island, Mahanadi, Cuttack district
- Temple timings
- Roughly 6am to 7pm; the hanging bridge keeps its own hours
- Time from Puri
- a full day, about 8 to 9 hours
Planning the trip
- The hanging bridge is the only pedestrian access; there is a boat service as an alternative when it is busy.
- Best in the cooler months — the island has limited shade and the walk across is exposed.
- Naturally combined with Cuttack itself, or with the Chandi Temple, on the way back.
Worth combining with Cuttack Chandi Temple on the return if you have the time — tell us when you book and we will build it into the same fixed fare rather than adding it as an extra.
How the fare works
This is priced as a return darshan trip, not a one-way drop. The same cab and driver stay with you for the whole outing and wait at the temple while you queue — there is no per-hour waiting charge and no second fare for the journey back to Puri.
- Pickup from your Puri hotel gate and drop back at the same
- Tolls, parking, fuel and driver allowance
- Waiting time at the temple for the length of a normal darshan
- A fixed price agreed on WhatsApp before you travel
Temple entry, prasad, ropeway or boat charges where they apply are paid directly by you and are not part of the fare.
Travelling with elders
Most of the people we drive on these runs are on a pilgrimage with parents or grandparents, so the pace is set accordingly — no rushing the return, stops when they are needed, and an Innova recommended over a sedan on anything past two hours each way. See pilgrimage taxi for how we handle temple trips generally.