The Hindu Business Line : History revisited

A visit to some of the famous temples in Orissa — the Lingaraja Temple at Bhubaneswar, the Sun Temple at Konark and the Jagannath Temple at Puri — helps visitors establish enduring links with our rich heritage.

The Sun Temple at Konark

Having gone through the ads and brochures referring to Orissa as "Nature's Very Own Place" and "God's Gift", we embarked upon a four-day trip to the "Golden Triangle" of Bhubaneswar, Konark and Puri. We were told that the three of them put together represent the best of Oriyan temple architecture.

Historic Bhubaneswar

Our first visit was to the twin hills situated along the south-west of Bhubaneswar close to the National Highway No 5. Though the place boasts three distinct peaks, called Udayagiri — the sunrise hill, Khandagiri or the broken hill and Nilgiri or the blue hill, the entire place is named Khandagiri.

These hills are honey combed with caves, of which 44 are located in Udayagiri, 19 in Khandagiri and three in Nilgiri. Among the caves of Udayagiri, the two-storeyed cave known as Queen's Palace with its ornate carvings, scroll work and the-then water supply system is the most popular and is also considered to be a great achievement of the ancient Oriyan architects. It is attributed that the sculptured scenes on the caves are connected with the life of Parsvanath as a Tirthankar and the Jain monks who lived in the caves seem to have carved in their cells episodes from the life of their venerable saint.

The cave Hatigumpha (Elephant cave) contains the rock-cut inscriptions of Kharavela, the valiant prince of Orissa. The carvings of Khandagiri are crude but vigorous and it is estimated that the same were carved during the third and first century B.C. and from the sculpture and the Jain temple constructed on the levelled out top of Khadagiri, it is evident that from time immemorial Bhubaneswar has been one of the centres of Saivism in India.

It is said that both Kharavela and Ashoka preached their respective religions to the people of Kalinga and after their demise, their bodily relics were said to have been preserved in Udayagiri and Dhauligiri, which is located nearby.

Little wonder then that parts of the Bollywood mega-movie Asoka were shot near these caves, something that is conveyed without fail to all the tourists by the local guides. In a movie-crazy nation like ours, Bollywood adds to the paisa vasool factor more than the historic value of the place per se.

The Raja Rani Temple is also a must-see in Bhubaneswar. Built in the 11th century, this temple is a real architectural delight and the structure is at once elegant and graceful. Set in picturesque surroundings, it is noted for its intricate carvings of floral, animal and human figures as well as for its unusual tower and the absence of any deity.

The Mukteswara Temple was was built in the 10th century and is an important transition point between the early and later phases of the Kalinga school of temple architecture.

The significant feature of the temple are the tales from Panchatantra carved on the exterior and the outer surface of the compound wall sporting Buddhist and Jain images as well as Hindu ones, pointing to the synthesis which was so much an integral part of Oriyan life. The temple gateway, an arched masterpiece, draws visitors with its magnificence and is worth a visit by itself.

The Lingaraj Temple at Bhubaneswar

The Lingaraja Temple dates back to the 11th century and the presiding deity is the Svayambhu Linga. This is the biggest temple in Bhubaneswar and bears the representation of innumerable Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

Chariot of the Sun

Having heard so much about this great monument, we looked forward to seeing this "Crowning Glory" of Oriyan temple art. But nothing prepared us for the great spectacle and the magnificence of the temple took our breath away. Over the next few hours we were lost in the visual treat that legendary temple offered, with its sculptures of great beauty, covering all aspects of life.

Built in the 13th century, the temple is designed as a celestial chariot of the Sun God, Surya, and it is fitted with 24 wheels, 12 wheels on each side and seven horses in front of the temple making it look like an extraordinary chariot standing in suspended motion.

The number 24 signifies the 24 fortnights of the year and the seven horses stand for the seven days of the week. While the sun symbolises life giving energy. It is depicted in different stages of growth with matching moods and attire denoting each stage.

The presiding deity, Maitraditya holding a lotus in each hand, with ornaments on the body and a crown on the head can be seen within the compound of the Jagannath temple at Puri.

The Temple Chariot of the Sun God, popularly known as Black Pagoda, is an architectural marvel, but unfortunately the main sanctum is in ruins, though the Dance Hall and the Audience Hall are intact.

The Black Pagoda is also popular for its erotic art. This may be owing to the belief that before one prays one is expected to leave behind all that is sensual and carry on with a sense of what is spiritual. In any case, it is only logical that when one deals with the noble subject of the sun, the life giver, depiction of the act of creation cannot be left far behind.

It remains a mystery till date how the artisans managed to transport the big boulders and stones to the site of the temple without the help of modern day gadgets.

The mastery of the sculptor in leaving behind a work of intricate design in stone known for its unrestrained abundance and geometrical perfection for future generations to cherish leaves one in awe of the visionaries of the past who left behind a monument so rich and flawless. That they designed their creations with the natural resources available to man without in the least bit disturbing the ecological balance of life is a fact to be appreciated.

It is this awe and respect for the master craftsmen whose works of architectural splendour and the artistic magnificence are recorded in stone, that draws both domestic and foreign tourists to the Sun Temple.

Colourful Puri

Puri is only 60 km from Bhubaneswar and the great temple of Lord Jagannath dominates the town. In the main temple Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are enthroned on the Ratna Singhasan. This 12th-century temple is popularly known for its annual rath yatra or car festival. Within the precincts of the main temple there are smaller temples of Vimala, Lakshmi, Vishnu and innumerable Gods and Goddesses.

The bhoga or offerings of Jagannath are regarded as mahaprasad or holy food. It is important to note that in the temple of Puri, all men, whether priest, noble or peasant are regarded as equal and the sign of this equality is proved in their sharing of the mahaprasad together. The kitchens for preparing the food for the deity Jagannath are probably the largest ones in the world. Normally, there are 85 types of delicacies that are offered offered to the deity five times a day.

Puri market is replete with the colourful art and craft products of Orissa and, here, one can also find typical Puri handicrafts, woodcarvings, items made out of seashell and the like. Puri is also famous for its golden beach, ideal for swimming and surfing.

More than the richness of the temple or the scenic beauty of the seashore, it is faith that brings the tourists to temple town. With rich and poor alike thronging the place all through the year, Puri thus symbolically remains the dwelling place of the Gods. However, one simply wishes that the innumerable priests found in the vicinity of the temple upheld this spirit of equality and faith by letting the devotees to pray in peace.

Each temple of Orissa re-ascertains a faith in the divine in an individual style of expression. A visit to these beautiful temples help us establish enduring links with our rich heritage.

Pictures by Ashoke Chakrabarty

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