ORISSA TEMPLE

ARCHITECTURE

GROUP : 6

DEV SAINI
ANKITA THODIMELA
MAHESHWARA RAO
ABRAHAM JOY
MANOJ KUMAR
APOORVA GAJHBHIYE
SUMIT YADAV
 INTRODUCTION
 The design which flourished in state of orissa are called Kalinga style of architecture.

In these the Indo-Aryan style of architecture may be seen as its best and purest.

 Although orissa presents a fairly large variety of styles in temple building, it has
nevertheless a characteristic architectural genius

The style consists of three distinct type of temples namely rekha deula, pidha deula
and khakhara deula.

 Deula means ‘temple’ in local language. the former two are associated with vishnu,
surya and shiva temple while the third is mainly with chamunda and durga temples.

 The rekha deula and khakhara deula houses the sanctum sanctorum while the pidha
deula constitutes outer dancing and offering halls.

The prominent examples of rekha deula are lingaraj temple at bhubaneshwar and
jagannath temple of puri.

The konark sun temple is a living example of pidha deula.

 Akhadachandi temple is an example of khakhara deula.

 All orissa temples follow a common structural plan.
 All deula corresponding to the southern vimana, is the cubical inner apartment which
enshrines the image and is surrounded by a tower.
 In front of this is the antarala or porch called the jagamohan which is usually square
shaped and has pyramidal roof.
Occasionally, one or two more mandapas such as the natmandir and bhogmandir can be
formed infront of the jagamohan, but these, where they exist, are almost without exception
were superimposed on top of the original plan.
 examples of orissa temples : THE SUN TEMPLE AT KONARK, JAGANNATH TEMPLE AT
PURI, LINGARAJA TEMPLE, MUKTESWAR TEMPLE AT BHUVANESWAR.
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF ORISSA TEMPLES
 The typical plan of the temple is
square the most basic shape, rational
and elementary of all geometric forms,
used by the hindus. They adopted
mainly trabeated style of construction.

 The main temple rests on high

platform called ‘pista’.

 The temple is approached by an

assembly hall, known as jagamohan .

 The main temple is called rekha

deul because of its emphasis on vetical
lines.

 The jagamohan is also called the

pida deul since, it is composed of
pidas.

The deity is placed in the garbha-

griha of rekha deul over which rises
the spire or shikahara.
 The entire tower is curvilinear in
shape is called the sikhara.

 The hindus regarded the the

temple as the body of cosmic man
(purusha).
So the lower upright part of the
main deul is known as bada (feet)
and the upper tapering part is
known as ‘chhapra’ or gandi
(trunk).
Over the chhapra is a large melon
shaped feature called ‘amalak’ (cap
stone) crowned with kalasa (head)
– called amrit–kalasa.

 Similarly the jagamohan has the

lower upright part the bada and
upper tapering part ‘pida’ in form of
a terraced pyramid which is
crowned with ghanta kalasa.
 Other feature of this building is that pillars are notable for their absence.

The interior is plain, featureless but exterior walls are profusely ornamented.

 Due to the religious ritual developments other buildings were added in front, by ‘nat-
mandir’ or ‘dancing hall’ e.g: THE SUN TEMPLE AT KONARK, JAGANNATH TEMPLE AT PURI,
LINGARAJA TEMPLE, MUKTESWAR TEMPLE AT BHUVANESWAR.
 THE SUN TEMPLE AT KONARK
 In Sthala purana it is mentioned that surya, the sun god rising from the ocean in his
chariot of gold cast his shadow on this very spot. the magnificant temple was therefore built
to glory ‘surya’ the sun god at konark.

 Standing in lone splendour, some 32 km from puri, this incompleted temple of great mass
of sandstone of soft colour of leather, rising like a pyramidal mound amidst the sand dunes,
2 km off the sea-shore is also known as BLACK-PAGODA

 The temple is formed like ratha (wheeled chariot) being carried by seven horses.

 Main entry – wide flight of stairs in east.

 The temple resting on a large platform with

twelve gaint wheels exquisitely carved with
erotic sculptures and decorated with
medallions on the spokes and hub each nearly
3 m high fixed on either side.

The temple wall surface is filled with

intricate design and figure sculptures mostly
of an extravagantly erotic in nature.
 The temple was built into two parts consisting of large hall or jagamohan 30.5 m wide
and 39 m high and a still larger deul with its tower rising to a height of 69 m.

 On its three sides i.e south, west and north, there are three subsidiary shrines with
stairways leading to niches each containing the life-size image of the Sun-God.

 A refectory and a number of shrines enclosed with a large courtyard about 265 m by 165
m with three large gateways.
 The Nat-mandir is as its facing and is square in plan. The walls are fully sculpted
with beautiful dancers playing on musical instruments. Two gracefully carved
elephants guard its entrance.

In order to sustain the weight of the huge kalasa over the pida the entire ceiling is
strenthened with iron grid.

The interior which is sealed now consisted of one. large cell, 20 m side length, its
walls are plain and ceiling is supported on four large soled piers.
LINGARAJ TEMPLE AT BHUVANESHWAR
 The great lingaraja temple, believed to have been built around 1000 A.D

 The temple had originally only two apartments, the deula and jagamohan
and the nat-mandir and bhog-mandir are added probably a century or more
later, all enclosing in a court yard measuring 142 m X 158 m.

The entrance of the temple is flanked by two large stone statues of lions.

The bada or lower storey is vertical one-third of its height and above, it
has parabolic curve rising to a height of 38 m from the ground

The temple stands in a cluster of sixty five small shrines in a spacious

compound measuring 158 m X 142 m and its mighty tower (the vimana)
dominates the landscape around.

The outer surface is exuberently carved carved with gods, goddesses,

nymphs.

A shiva linga 3m high and 2.5 m in diameter is installed in garbhagriha.

 LINGARAJ
TEMPLE AT
BHUWANESHWAR

PLAN OF LINGARAJA
TEMPLE
 TEMPLE OF JAGANNATH AT PURI
 The temple is nearly a replica
of the temple at bhuvaneshwar.

The jagannath temple like the

lingaraja has the sanctuary
shrines aligned in the same
axis.

The enclosure has three outer

walls and four gateways. It
resembles lingaraja temple, but
its greater size in enhanced
even more by being erected on
elevated ground dominating the
whole landscape.

Repeated renovations,
carried out with no respect for
the original, added to the
deterioration. Many of the parts
have been lime-washed.
 MUKTESHEWAR TEMPLE AT BHUWANESHWAR
An important landmark in the
architectural development in
bhuwaneshwar is small
mukteshwar temple, dating
from 950 A.D – 975 A.D

The proportions of this

temple are so balanced and its
decoration so harmonious that
the mukteshwar is considered a
gem of orissan architecture.

Entrance – torana –
semicircular arch carried by
two pillars

 length – 14 m
width – 8 m
shikhara height – 11 m
THANK YOU