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
61 (of 66)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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The two armed devi Pārvati is the pārsvadevata of the northern side. She has been installed on a plain pedestal. Her right hand displays abhaya mudrā and the left hand holds trident. Lion, the traditional mount of devi is carved on the pedestal. There is a lion pillar of 2 ½ feet high noticed in front of the devī Pārvatī. The gandi of the vimāna is a curvilinear superstructure and it displays five pagas. The entire bāḍa and gandi of the vimana are thickly plastered with lime mortar. So the architectural designs of the vimāna are not visible. The middle of the rāhā paga of the gandi contains jhapā siṃha on each side. Dopichhā lions are fixed on the top of kanika pagas of the gandi. Deula Cariṇ� figures are also inserted in the four cardinal directions of beki above rāhās. These figures are supporting to the amalaka śiḷ� of the mastaka. The mastaka of the vimana consists of bėki, amaḷaka śiḷ�, khapurī, kaḷasa, ayudha (trident) and dhvaja. The sanctum preserves Sivalingam within Saktipitha as the presiding deity of the temple. The backside wall of the sanctum is depicted with the painting of Hari-Hara. This composite painting displays trident in right upper hand, dambaru in right lower hand, conch in left upper hand and cakra in left lower hand respectively. Here the picture is portrayed in meditating posture. : The sanctum has one doorway towards the jagamohana. The doorjambs of the sanctum are devoid of decorative ornamentations. The centre of the doorway lintel contains a Rāhu head. The navagraha figures are carved on the architrave above the doorway lintel. They are all in padmāsana posture with usual attributes in their hands. The figures of Nandi and Bhṛngi are carved on both sides of the jambs of the doorway. They are acting as the traditional dvārapāḷas of Śiva temple. Jagamohana or Mukhaśaḷ�: The jagamohana of the temple is an open piḍhã deuḷa and its height is about 15 feet from the surface of the temple complex. The gandi of the jagamohana is a pyramidal superstructure, which is supported by eight square sized pillars. The gandi consists of three piḍhās, which are flat shaped. There is only kaḷasa installed on the top of the upper piḍhã. Two lions are projected on the northern and southern sides of kaḷasa respectively. The ayudha and dhvaja are completely absent in their respective places. There is a bull pillar of 3 feet high noticed in the 233
