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The jagamohana or mukhasala of the Jagannatha temple is a pancaratha pidha deula and its height is about 120 feet from the road level.27 It has also fourfold vertical divisions viz -pista (plinth), bada, gandi and mastaka. The structure of the jagamohana stands on a high ornamental pista of 6 feet 3 inches high. 28 The pista is decorated with khakhara mundis, naga-nagini pilasters and gaja-simha motifs. All the khakhara mundi niches of the pista are housed with figures of bhararaksaka, seated acaryas and Lord Krsna. A staircase consisting of two flights of 5 and 4 masonry steps connected by landing step leads to the southern doorway of the jagamohana. The bada of the jagamohana is pancaratha in plan and it consists of five fold divisions such as pabhaga, tala jangha, bandhana, upper jangha and baranda. The ground plan of the jagamohana is also square of 80 feet on each side.29 The pabhaga of the bada consists of conventional mouldings of khura, kumbha, patta, kani and basanta. The pagas in pabhaga are decorated with khakhara mundis (miniature khakhara order deulas). The details of carving on the mundis cannot be properly seen due to the application of thick plaster on them. The lower jangha is also decorated with khakhara mundis in all pagas. The niches of the mundis including the images therein cannot be identified due to plastering on them. It is not possible to recognize the decorative motifs, the sculptural arts, the mouldings in different elements and even the architectural designs due to such heavy plastering. The intervening recesses between the pagas in lower jangha are filled with different types of vidalas i.e lion on elephant and lion with elephant trunk rampant on warrior. The bandhana of the bada is completely plain. The upper jangha of the bada is relieved with pidha mundis and its intervening recesses are filled with amorous couples or mithuna figures. A seated Narayana figure is noticed on the northern side raha paga of the bada. He holds as usual attributes viz. Sankha, cakra, gada and padma in his

four hands. The baranda of the bada consists of ten horizontal mouldings, which are devoid of decorative ornamentations. The gandi or sikhara of the jagamohana is a pyramidal superstructure and it consists of two tiers or potalas, the lower and upper, which contain seven and six pidhas respectively. The kanthi or recess between the two potalas is filled with pidha mundis, dancing figures of Lord Krsna and gopis. In the centre of each potala is decorated with pidha mastaka design, which is surmounted by the rampart lion (udyata simha). Garuda figures are inserted in the four cardinal directions of the beki above rahas. Rahu heads are fixed on the top of kanika pagas of the gandi. The mastaka of the jagamohana consists of beki, ghanta (bell shaped member) above which there is another beki topped by amalakasila, khapuri, kalasa and ayudha. Here the ayudha is cakra or disc. The four heavy square sized pillars support the pyramidal superstructure or roof of the jagamohana. At the south-east corner of the jagamohana, though detached from it, is a small chamber (of modern period), which serves as a retiring room for the dancers. In the interior of the jagamohana, devadasis are asked to perform dancing though originally they used to dance in the natamandapa.30 The jagamohana has two doorways; one leading to the south and another to east. The eastern side doorway towards the natamandapa is known as JayaVijaya dvara. The figures of Jaya and Vijaya are the celestial creatures of heaven, who guard the Ratnasimhasana. This doorway is considered as the main entrance towards the sanctum-sanctorum. All the aspects of rasalila of Lord Jagannatha have been depicted here. The doorjambs are ornately decorated with floral devices, naagabandhas, amorous couples, creepers with the frolicking boys, jali works,pidha and khakhara mundis. An image of Gaja-Laksmi is finely carved on the centre of the doorway lintel. Flying apsara figures with musical instruments are also depicted on the doorway lintel. This doorway is one of the finest specimens of the Orissan architecture with saptabandha. K.S.Behera has opined that inside the jagamohana of Jagannatha temple, there is a fine chlorite door-frame. Each jamb, divided into facets, is almost identical in treatment to the eastern doorframe of the jagamohana of the Konarka Sun Temple.³¹ Two huge 91

figures of Brahma and Siva are nicely installed on the both sides of southern doorway. These two figures are more prominent from the sculptural point of view. The doorjambs of the south are devoid of decorative ornamentation. Navagrahas are only carved on the architrave above the doorway lintel. There is a figure of Varaha depicted above the architrave. Two female figures are flanked on either side of Varaha. R.P. Mohapatra holds that the main temple of Lord Jagannatha and its porch (jagamohana) appears to have been constructed simultaneously. 32 On the basis of the architectural features, the construction period of the jagamohana can be tentatively assigned to the 1st half of the 13th century AD, most probably built by Anninga Bhima Deva-III (1211-1238 AD), the Ganga ruler of Orissa.