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 6 - Shakta Temples of Purushottama Kshetra
6 (of 54)
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works. The female counterparts of the aṣṭadikpāḷas are also housed in the piḍhā mundi niches of the upper jangha. They are depicted with their respective mounts and directions. The baranda of the baḍa consists of seven horizontal decorative mouldings, which are relieved with dancing female figures, amorous couples, scroll-works, a frieze of elephants and deers and jāli works. Gavākṣa. The central or rāhā paga of the baḍa of jagamaohana contains two balustraded windows; one on the northern and another on the southern side. The window of the each side contains four balusters, which are finely carved with dancing female figures holding musical instruments in their hands. Frames of the balustraded windows are relieved with scroll works, flower medallions, jāli works, creepers containing the frolicking boys and decorative female figures. The gavākṣa mandana of the both northern and southern sides of the bāḍa are relieved with the royal court scenes andśikṣādāna panels. The bāḍa of the jagamohana is surmounted by the pyramidal super structure. It consists of two potalas, the lower and upper poṭalas, which contain five and four piḍhās respectively. Figures of the Deuḷa Cāriṇīs and dopichhā lions are completely absent in their respective places. The mastaka of the jagamohana consists of beki, ghaṇṭā (bell-shaped member), above which there is another beki, amaḷaka śiḷ�, khapurī and kaḷasa. Here the ayudha of the mastaka is missing. Nāṭamandapa The natamaṇḍapa of the Vimaḷ� temple is a piḍhã deuḷa and its height is about 22 feet from the surface of the temple complex. It is clearly known from the architectural designs that the nāṭamaṇḍapa must have been constructed in later period of the main deuḷa and jagamohana. The structure of the nāṭamaṇḍapa stands on the platform of 3½ feet high. The base of the structure is rectangular and it measures approximately 35 feet in length and 18 feet in width. The bāḍa of the nāṭamaṇḍapa is pancānga type i.e. having five-fold divisions such as pābhāga, taḷa jängha, bandhanā, upper jāngha and baraṇḍa. All the component parts of the bāḍa do not contain any ornamentation. The baranḍa of the baḍa consists of three horizontal mouldings. 243
