Rajanahar, located in the Old Town area of Bhubaneswar in Khurda district, Odisha, is an important ancient water-management structure forming part of the historic temple landscape of the city. The Old Town of Bhubaneswar, often described as a “living museum of temples,” developed around a network of natural streams, tanks, and channels, of which Rajanahar constitutes a significant hydraulic element. The term ‘nahar’ denotes a canal or watercourse, while ‘rajan’ suggests royal association, indicating its role in supplying water to royal or temple establishments. Rajanahar is believed to have been constructed during the early medieval period, possibly between the 7th and 12th centuries CE, when Bhubaneswar flourished as a major religious and administrative centre under the Sailodbhavas, Bhauma-Karas, and Somavamsis. The canal was designed to channel water from natural streams and reservoirs to temple tanks (bindus) and surrounding settlements, ensuring a steady water supply for ritual, domestic, and agricultural purposes.