Bhubaneswar, Dec. 9 -- Just a stone's throw from the iconic Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar stands a centuries-old shrine that remains largely unknown to many visitors. Tucked amid the bustle of Old Town, the 'Budha' Ganesh Temple, also called 'Kamana' Ganesh, quietly preserves layers of Odisha's sacred and architectural heritage.

Believed to date back to the 11th Century, the temple is one of Bhubaneswar's oldest surviving shrines. Originally associated with the Lingaraj Temple, it later became part of the B.M. High School campus, where it has stood for nearly eight decades, continuing to draw students, locals, and passersby who stop to offer prayers.

Built in the classic five-tiered 'Pidha Deula' style, the structure rises seven feet h...