Bhubaneswar pronunciation (Oriya: ଭୁବେନଶ୍ବର, Hindi: भुवनेश्वर, in Sanskrit and Oriya/oDiA, "The Lord of the Universe") is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Orissa, India. Once the capital of ancient Kalinga, the city has a long history and is today a center for commerce and religious activity. However, the modern city of Bhubaneswar was designed by the German architect Otto Königsberger in 1936. It became the modern capital of the state of Orissa in 1948, a year after India gained its independence from Britain. With its vast variety of hindu temples, Bhubaneswar is often referred to as the temple city of India.