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 5 - Shaiva Temples of Purushottama Kshetra
46 (of 66)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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important one. It was so built as to make the lower portion appeared buried in the temple courtyard. A descending flight of steps leads on the floor of the sanctum enshrining the Svayambhu Lingam of the deity. 113 This temple is one the ancient Saiva shrines in the precincts of the Jagannatha temple of kṣetra. As many as four inscriptions of the time of Anangabhima Deva III relating to the management of the Jagannātha temple are noticed around the door entrance to the sanctum. The first grant records the offering of milk, butter,rice and curds to the Lord. 114 The second inscription mentions the grant of two bāṭis and five māṇas of land by the Padātika Khaṇḍa to Lord Jagannatha for daily offering of clarified butter, rice, curry, curd and betel leaf. 115 The third grant refers to the gift of two baṭis of land in Kuränga and Murāda villages by Kirtiśvara Naik to Lord Jagannatha for naivedya.116 The fourth grant indicates to the gift of one bāṭi and ten māṇas of land for supply of naivedya and ten bundles of fragrant flowers everyday to the deity." These four inscriptions on the left walls of the Pātāḷeśvara temple refer to Anangabhima Deva in most eulogistic terms. 118 The inscription records the date as Saka year 1158 i.e. corresponding to 1236 AD and it is written in the 39th Anka of Śrī Anangabhima Deva-III in the kingdom of Lord Śrī Purusottama in the month of Makara, for the grant of a plot of land, measuring 2 bāṭis and five māṇas, in the village of Khanda Saisasa east under the supervision of Bisu Padhi for Naivedya." The inscriptions of temple are incised in proto-Oriya character of the 13th century AD. 120 The place where the inscription is located is very dark, and it is very difficult to stay there for a great length of time. Due to the inscriptions being incised in the wall, the temple is of considerable of historical importance. Art & Architecture of the Temple:- The temple of Pātāḷeśvara consists of three structures such as vimāna, jagamohana and nāṭamaṇḍapa. This temple is built in sand stones. It faces to east. Vimāna The vimāna of the Pātāḷeśvara temple is a rekhã deuḷa and its height is about 35 feet from the ground of the temple. Half of this temple is submerged in the earth. The main deuḷa or vimāna lies at present at a depth of 20 feet from the floor level of the inner courtyard of the Jagannatha temple. 121 So the entire bāḍa 218
