365bet

Essay name: Temples of Purushottama Kshetra Puri

Author: Ratnakar Mohapatra
Affiliation: Sambalpur University / Department of History

This essay studies the Temples of Purushottama Kshetra (Puri) which is renowned for its historic and religious significance, situated in Orissa (Odisha) by the Bay of Bengal. Purusottama-ksetra is famous for the Lord Jagannatha temple and numerous smaller temples, it showcases the distinctive Kalinga architectural style.

Chapter 3 - Lord Jagannatha Temple

Page:

13 (of 45)


External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)


Download the PDF file of the original publication


Copyright (license):

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)


Warning! Page nr. 13 has not been proofread.

feet by 56 feet on the ground plan and also stands on a richly sculptured piṣṭa of 7 feet 6 inches high.39 It has also four vertical divisions such as piṣṭa, bāḍa, gaṇḍi and mastaka. The total height of the bhogamanḍapa is about 75 feet from the road level. The piṣta of the bhogamaṇḍapa consists of five fold vertical divisions such as pābhāga, taḷa jāngha, bandhanā, upper jāngha and baranda. The upāna portion of the piṣṭa is relieved with rows of elephants and mounted cavaliers. The pābhāga of the pista has usual five conventional mouldings of khurā, kumbha, pattā, kani and basanta. The barāṇḍi shows a bridled särduḷa mounted by a human figure having kilted legs. Small dopichhā lions are fixed at the corners of the plinth. The jangha of the high plinth is decorated with piḍhã mundis, nāga pilasters etc. Jāli works are noticeable in all the elements of pista. The niches in the barāṇḍis contain chlorite figures of the deities and amorous couples. In the narrow recesses of the barandi portion contain amorous couples or mithuna figures. The piḍhā mundis are flanked by naga-nägini columns, which capped by seven hooded serpent. In the niches of the barāṇḍi are housed with chlorite figures which derived from the Indian mythological scenes. Depiction of Kṛṣṇa's entire life story at the top of the plinth in a row is quite striking. Among the twelve festivals (kautuka yātrās), two festivals i.e. the Doḷayātrā (swinging festival) and Nāvakeḷi yātrā (rowing festival) are prominently portrayed. 40 The Dolayātrā of Lord Kṛṣṇa is engraved in the niche of the upper barāṇḍi. The figure of Lord Siva dancing on a bull is finely engraved. The scenes of the grazing cows with their calves including Lord Kṛṣṇa with the cowherd boys have been nicely depicted. Lord Kṛṣṇa is playing on the flute and dancing with gopis. In the eastern side niche is depicted with the scene of the rowing of boat containing Lord Kṛṣṇa. All the rowers are milk-women (gopis) who are making strenuous efforts in rowing. Other gopaliḷ� scenes of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which depicted in the niches of the high plinth are viz. dancing figure of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Aghāsura badha, Putanābadha, Bakāsura badha, lifting of Giri- Govardhana, childhood scene of Lord Kṛṣṇa with gopis etc. The scene of Rāma's installation on the throne of Ayodhyā or Oudh is more attractive to visitors and other notable scene is Indra with his Airavata. 94

Let's grow together!

I humbly request your help to keep doing what I do best: provide the world with unbiased sources, definitions and images. Your donation direclty influences the quality and quantity of knowledge, wisdom and spiritual insight the world is exposed to.

Let's make the world a better place together!

Like what you read? Help to become even better: