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Bindu-Sarovara Tank
It is said that Lord Shiva established this tank as a place of pilgrimage
by bringing water from all the holy places. Taking bath here and drinking
the water of this lake is said to cure any disease of the stomach. Lord
Chaitanya took bath in this lake when He first came from Bengal to
Puri. It is located
right next to the
Lingaraja
Temple . A
pilgrimage
to Bhubaneswar is supposed to start with a
bath here. On the eastern bank is the 'Ananta
Vasudeva' temple , which is dedicated to Krishna and Balarama.
The
Lingaraja
deity is brought to the pavilion in the middle of the tank and ritually
bathed during the annual Car festival ('Ashokastami
'). The best time to come here is around sunrise.
Lingaraja
Temple (11th century)
The Lingaraja temple dominates the skyline of Bhubaneshwar
from as far away as 15-kms and exhibits the skill of the Orissan temple
architects at its completely mature and developed stage. This temple was
constructed in the 11th Century AD at the site of an old 7th Century
Shrine. Along with the 'deul' and the 'Jagmohana' the Lingaraja temple has
two new structures, the 'Nata Mandira' (dance hall) and the ' Bhoga
Mandapa' (offering hall). Dedicated to Lord Shiva the 'Lingam' here is
unique in that it is a 'Hari Hara' lingam - half Siva and Half Vishnu.
There are around 150 subsidiary shrines within this giant temple.
Muktesvara
Temple
Often referred to as the 'Gem of Orissan Architecture' this temple has
been built on the lines of the Kalinga School of temple architecture. This
temple too is a deviation in that the architects have blended old and new
techniques of planning and execution. Many new innovations in later
temples are from here. A 'Torana', an arched gateway is a unique feature
of this temple.
The temple dedicated Lord Shiva-Mukteswara
, is carved with figures of ascetics in various poses of meditation and
scenes from the storehouse of Indian fables, the 'Panchatantra'. A dip in
a sacred well to the east of the temple is supposedly a cure for
infertility.
Parasurameswara
Temple
Parasurameswara Temple built in 650 AD is one of the few earliest temples
of Bhubaneshwar. This temple built in the
'Kalinga' style of temple architecture was dedicated to Lord Siva but
there are images of Lord Vishnu, 'Yama', 'Surya' and seven Mother
Goddesses. In typical fashion, it is liberally sculpted with amorous
couples, animals and floral motifs.
Just south of
Parasurameswara
temple is the 'Swaranajaleswara' temple is the 'Swaranajaleswara'
temple. Built in a similar style, the motifs on the walls however differ,
depicting scenes from the 'Ramayana'.
Raj
Rani Temple
The Raja Rani temple is an essay in grace and poise and is particularly
interesting in that it has no presiding deity. The name of this temple is
supposed to be derived from the red-gold sandstone used - Raja Rani being
the local name for the stone. The 'deul' is intricately carved with
figurines in various stages of daily chores. The lower portion of the deul
has the 'Gurdians of the eight directions' guarding the eight cardinal
points of the temple.
Brahmeshwara
Temple
Brahmeswara temple depicts the mature Orissan style of temple
architecture. The 'deul' and the 'Jagmohana' are both intricately carved
and for the first time in temple architectural history musicians and
dancers appear on the outer walls and iron beams find their first use. In
the western section 'Chamunda', Shiva and other deities are depicted.
Vaital
Deul Temple
Vaital Deul is the Shrine of 'Chamunda' or 'Shakti'. Seated on a corpse
in a dark inner sanctum is the Goddess Chamunda, garland of skulls round
her neck and flanked by a jackal and an owl. The niches on the inner wall
depict equally startling images along with scenes of tantric rituals. It
is the first of the temples to depict erotic sculptures, it is also unique
in that the outer surface of the vault is plain while profusely
embellished on the inside.
OTHER TEMPLES
Mohini Temple
Standing to a height of about 9.45m. On the south-bank of Bindu-Sarovara,
it is, in its architectural features, a close analogue to the
Parasuramesvara
temple . Its carvings, however, were left unfinished. The damaged
jagamohana has been restored recently. All the images of Parsva-Devatas-
Parvati, Kartikeya and Ganesa- are in situ.
On the body of the deul are incised a few short records. Inside the
sanctum is a ten-armed dancing icon of Chamunda, terrific to behold. On
the floor of the jagamohana lies a six-armed image of
'Mahishasuramardini'. Its original 'Garbha-Muda' above the present wooden
ceiling is distinguished by a carved lotus on the topmost stone capping
the corbels. There is at least one more chamber over the Garbha-Muda.
Uttaresvara Temple
This temple, on the north bank of Bindu-Sarovara, consisting of the deul
and jagamohana of the
Parasuramesvara
type, has its superstructure above the first 'Bhumi-Amla' plastered in the
course of repairs and restorations. Of the images of Parsva-Devatas,
Kartikeya presents an interesting variation. Noted for the plasticity of
modelling, the deity stands without his mount, holding in his left hand a
long spear, his right hand akimbo.
Gauri-Sankara-Ganesa
Temple
By the side of the main road, a few metres to the north of the
Lingaraja
temple , is the Gauri-Sankara-Ganesa shrine, half-buried under the
age-long accumulation of debris, raising the road-level nearly to the
height of its bada. A narrow flight of steps gives access to the temple,
which consists of the deul only.
As in the case of the Mohini temple, its carvings were left incomplete.
The crowning member, consisting of a cylindrical object, octagonal below
and round above, over the 'Khapuri' is partially preserved, and we have
here three 'Bhumi-Varandis' instead of the usual four.
Paschimesvara Temple
Also closely affiliated with the
Parasuramesvara
group are the Paschimesvara temple and a half-buried shrine within the
enclosure of the 'Yamesvara' temple. The first, a tiny shrine, which has
been regarded by some scholars as one of the earliest, was most
unfortunately demolished several years back, and only its plinth and
images of Parsva-Devatas-
(i)
A four-armed standing figure of Parvati holding a vase, a crooked staff, a
rosary and a lotus and with her mount lion on the left.
(ii) A two-armed figure of Kartikeya remarkable for his "Sikhandaka-Kakapaksha"
hairstyle, seated on his peacock and holding a spear in his left hand and
a 'Matulunga' in his right.
(iii) A four-armed figure of Ganesa with his raised knee and pot-belly
tied by a snake, seated on a throne supported by a dwarf and holding a
bowl of 'laddukas', a hatchet, a rosary and a radish-can now be seen right
on the south-west corner of Bindu-Sarovara.
Kedaresvara Temple
Facing the south, this temple is architecturally akin to the
Siddhesvara
temple and, like it, has a thick - set heavy-shouldered gandi
betraying an immaturity. Its Bhumi-Amlas are, however, rectangular. The
recesses between the projections of the bada are occupied by female
figures or erotic couples in the upper jangha and vidalas in the lower
jangha. Of the images of the Parsva-Devatas, the four-armed Kartikeya,
with his two left hands touching a cock, and Ganesa also four-armed, are
in situ. The 'mustaka' of the jagamohana contains all the usual elements.
The right wall of the entrance of the jagamohana contains an inscription
recording the donation of a perpetual lamp in front of the lord
'Kedaresvara' by Raja Pramadi, the younger brother of the Ganga king
'Anantavarman Chodaganga', in A.D. 1142, thus providing the existence of
the temple before that date.
Bhaskaresvara Temple
Devoid of any artistic or architectural merit, this temple has hardly any
place in the development of temple-structure and is rather a negation of
the principles of the rational architectural evolution at
Bhubaneswar. Its peculiar form was dictated
by the height of the enshrined linga, which was originally a freestanding
pillar.
To enable the devotees to reach the top of the linga and to perform
ritualistic worship, the bada is built in two tiers: the upper tier,
approachable by a flight of steps against the northern wall of the lower
tier, is pierced with a door on the west side; the lower one looks like a
platform and is provided with four door-ways, one on each side, leading to
the floor of the sanctum.
Both the tiers are 'Pancha-Ratha' on plan and have five-fold divisions.
The low superstructure, singularly disproportionate, is made of nine
'Pidhas' and is crowned by a succession of 'Beki', 'Amla', 'Khapuri' and
'Kalasa'. The images of the 'Parsva-Devatas' in the niches of the upper
bada are intact.
Orissa State Museum
This museum has a collection of religious sculptures, weapons, coins, and
musical instruments. It also has a good collection of antique paintings
and palm leaf manuscripts in a small room at the end of the corridor on
the first floor.
It is located at the top of Gautam Nagar (Lewis Road), not far from the
hotel Ashok and is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 1.30pm and 2.30 to
5pm.
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