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
50 (of 66)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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horizontal moulding. The intervening recesses of the upper jängha are relieved with dancing female figures, lady with her child, female figures with musical instruments like veeṇ�, erotic scene, aḷasa kanyās, amorous couples and mounted horses. The baranda of the bāḍa consists of plain vertical mouldings. Pārsvadevatas.- The three side central niches of the bāḍa are housed with the pārśvadevatā images of Ganesa, Kārtikeya and Hara-Pārvati. The image of Ganesa is the pārsvadevata of the southern side. The six-handed image of Ganesa has been installed on the double petalled lotus pedestal. His upper two hands possess a snake; the right hands display rosary and broken tusk while the left hands hold änkuśa and hatchet or paraśu. Mouse, the mount of deity is installed on the right of the pedestal. The image of Kārtikeya is the pārsvadevata of the western side. The six- headed standing image of Kärtikeya has been inatalled on the double petalled lotus pedestal. Out of twelve hands, the right six hands display nāga phāsa, arrow, gadā, khadga, flower and touching the mouth of peacock, while the left side hands possess bell, rooster cock and shield. Peacock, the conventional mount of the deity is installed on the right of the pedestal. Two female attendant figures are carved on the both sides jambs of the pārsvadevatā niche. The image of Hara-Pārvati is the pārsvadevatā of the northern side bāḍa of the structure. The image of Śiva is installed on the double petalled lotus pedestal. Devī Pārvati is seated on the left lap of Lord Siva. Both the deities possess usual attributes in their hands. All these three side deities are made of black chlorite. The sculptural features of the side deities indicate that they were made in later period of the Ganga art. The gandi or sikhara of the vimāna is a curvilinear spire and it exhibits nine pagas. All the pagas of the gandi are mostly undecorated. The base of the eastern side rāhā paga of the gandi contains a big angaśikhara, which is surmounted by the gaja-krānta motif. The middle portions of other three sides of the rāhā paga are elegantly projected with sārduḷa headed jhapā-siṃhas. Dopichhā 222
