TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE OF ORISSA
- Nishita Chopra
- Mar 14, 2021
- 3 min read
The culture of Odisha highlights a multitude of temples and monuments showing proof of the exquisite architecture of the state. The earliest monuments date back to the third century B.C. Odisha holds some of the finest architecture from ancient India from Jain Cut caves to Hindu temples to Buddhist stupas. The intrinsic artistic quality of the local craftsmen ensured that the monuments were embellished with religious influence, royal patronage, and a rich maritime trade in their sculptures and ornamentation. The larger body of temples called the Klina School group has a matrix of Indian Architecture that consists of four parts- the sanctum, the audience hall, the dancing hall, and the mandap where offerings are made.
Bhubaneshwar holds the architectural heartland of Odisha. The city is said to have more than 7000 temples between the 7th and the 12th century.
Parshurameswara Temple of the 7th-century origin is the oldest surviving temple to date. The beehive-shaped tower and the front porch depict the development of Odishas's temple architecture.
Mukteshwar Temple from the 10th century bridges the styles between the two times. This temple has an intricately carved arch gateway at the entry.
Rajrani Temple from the 11th century gets the name from the two colored stones used during its construction.
Lingaraja Temple is dedicated to Shiva. It's the main temple with a 180 ft tower in the middle of a huge complex surrounded by other shrines. While the main temple dates back to the 11th century, the other shrines date back to the 6th century.
The twin hills, Udaygiri and Khandagiri have rock-cut caves that were used by the Jain monks to live and pray. Udaygiri has 18 caves and Khandagiri has 15 caves that date back to the 2nd century. The Ranighumpa Cave in Udaygiri is two stroyed and bears artistic sculptures. They consist of one or two cells and fronted by pillared verandahs. They are a landmark in rock-cut Architecture.
The most famous temple, the Jagannath Temple in Puri, built in the 13th century, enshrines the gigantic wooden idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra. The temple has a high spire over 200 ft high that can be seen from a long distance. The main temple is a curvilinear temple and crowning the top is the eight-spoked wheel, Sri chakra, of Vishnu. The huge temple covers about 400,000 sqft and is surrounded by a high fortified wall. This wall is 6.1 m tall known as Meghanada Pacheri. Another wall called Kurma Bedha surrounds the main temple. The temple campus consists of 120 temples and shrines. The richness and the fluidity of the Oriya-style temple is one of the most significant monuments in India. The temple holds four distinct sectional structures, as stated above, namely - the sanctum, front porch, dancing hall, and offerings hall.
The Sun Temple at Konark, from the 13th century, is the epitome of Odisha's architectural splendor. It was built by King Narasimhadeva of the Ganga dynasty and is considered a UNESCO world heritage site. The temple shows the finesse of the work of the local craftsmen. The temple is shaped like a giant chariot holding 24 gigantic wheels being pulled by seven celestial horses. The temple has three statues of the Sun god on the outside and the inner sanctum, although without a roof holds a pedestal inside. The free-standing statues of the celestial musicians, dancers, and mythical animals mark the horizontal tiers of the Jagamohan. The temple walls and the wheels are embraced in detailed carvings. One of the most significant sculptures is that of a Giraffe. The singular pieces are now arranged throughout the complex that was once a part of the main temple.
Scattered all over Odisha are temples and shrines that have now evolved outside the main schools of architecture prevalent in Bhubaneswar, Konark, or Puri. The temple of Kichakeswari in Khiching in the Mayurbhanj district is built of Chlorite Slabs. One of the finest examples of Odisha of Brick temples is found in Haripur as the Rasika Raya Temple.
The Odisha temple architecture holds an alluring appeal in its extravagance and mobility. The heights of the sculptured towers and the exquisitely carved halls hold a myriad of wonder. From the ruins of Konark to the sanctum of Jagannath to Lingaraj temples, they truly hold the symbolic cultural heritage of Odisha.
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