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
7 (of 66)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
The mastaka of the jagamohana consists of beki, ghanṭ� (bell-shaped member) above which there is another beki, amalakasiḷ�, khapurī, kaḷasa, ayudha (trident) and dhvaja. The outer southern wall of the jagamohana contains a composite image of Hari-Hara (half Viṣṇu and half Śiva). This composite image of Harihara is installed on the double petalled lotus pedestal. The right two hands of this composite deity display trident and damburu while the left two hands possess conch and cakra. The pedestal of the composite deity contains both the figures of bull and Garuda as the conventional mounts of Śiva and Visṇu respectively. Pārvatī and Lakṣmī as consorts of both the gods are also carved on either side of the lotus pedestal. The background slab of the composite deity is decorated with trefoil arch; makara head at the base and flower medallion at the apex. Apsarās and kinnāras holding garlands in their hands carved on either side top corner of the slab. Its workmanship convey the artistic tradition of a very late period." The jagamohana has three doorways, which are devoid of ornamentations. The image of Gaja-Lakṣmi is carved on the centre of the doorway lintel of the eastern side. A stepped passage through this porch leads the visitors to the presiding deity (Sivalingam) within the sanctum. The inner walls of the jagamohana are completely undecorated. The sandhisthala portion between the jagamohana and the nāṭamaṇḍapa is covered by small piḍhā deuḷa, which is supported by four circular pillars. Nāṭamandapa The nāṭamaṇḍapa of the Lokanātha temple is a piḍhā deuḷa and its height is about 20 feet from the ground of the temple. The bāḍa has five divisions such as pābhāga, taḷa jāngha, bandhanā, upper jāngha and baranda. The base of the bāḍa is square of 15 feet. All the component parts of the baḍa are completely undecorated. The pyramidal superstructure is surmounted on the baḍa of the nāṭamaṇḍapa. It consists of three flat-shaped piḍhās. The mastaka of the nāṭamaṇḍapa consists of khapuri and kalasa only. There is a bull-pillar of 3 feet high noticed in the centre of the floor of nāṭamaṇḍapa. The recumbent bull has been installed on the top of the pillar and it 179
