3.1. Rekha Temple or Deula

30 30 a. Rekha Temple or Deula:—The main temple or the vimana (also called deula) is of the rekha order and has a curvilinear superstructure. The sikhara or the tower is characteristic features of the rekha deula. Originally the sanctum was a flat roofed square structure pierced by an elaborate doorway on one of its sides. At a later stage it was thought expedient to raise a tower on the roof in order to emphasise the height of the sanctum. The tower was formed by corbelling the blocks of stones i.e. by inclining the stone courses into the centre as they proceed in height. Thus the constructional technique is based on the corbelling. In the beginning Iron bars were not used in the roof. The use of iron bars is noticed for the first time in the Simhnatha temple.23 In later temples the use of such bars or beams became a regular features. In the Silpa Texts such roof has been mentioned as the garbha muda. It is so called because it covers the cella, which is called garbha. In Oriya language muda (ceiling) means cover. The increase of the height of the Sikhara necessitated another similar muda in the hollow chamber above the garbha-muda. This is called the ratnamuda. These two mudas are not seen from the outside. It is done by tieing the stone courses of opposite directions and is meant to ensure the stability of the walls of the sanctum and the sikhara. The device of mudas in the internal construction of the temple is a typical feature of the Orissan temples. Another significant feature about the construction is the astylar plan of the sanctum; the garbha muda or the bottom ceiling rested over iron beams and no pillars have been built to provide additional support. Most of the vimana of the temple is a rekha deula and it can be divided into four parts along with the vertical plane (Fig.No-1). These are viz pista, bada, gandi and mastaka. Pista. The pista or platform is not a regular feature on the Orissan temple architecture. It is not found in the earlier temples but is generally noticed in temples erected from the Ganga period onwards. Bada. The bada is the perpendicular wall of the vimana. The constituent elements of the bada are pabhaga, jangha and baranda. This type of bada is called trianga because it has three parts. It is found in temples belonging to the earlier

phase. In later temples, the bada is composed of five elements such as pabhaga, tala jamgha, bandhana, upper jamgha and baranda. The bada is thus of the pancanga type, the jangha being divided into two registers known as lower jangha and upper jangha by a set of mouldings called bandhana. The pabhaga denotes the bottom part of the wall and is composed of the conventional mouldings viz khura, kumbha, patta, kani and basanta. These mouldings run all through the bada including its projections and recesses. The adjustment of the parsvadevata niches and the mouldings has been perfectly done. The niches have their own set of mouldings and they do not encroach upon the pabhaga mouldings. The portion above the pabhaga is called jangha or sin. It is the vertical portion of the wall of vimana. The jargha in its projections contain niches, the niches on the central projections on the three sides being bigger. These central niches house the images of parsvadevatas. The niches in the subsidiary projections contain different divine figures. An elaborate doorway dominates the front side of the bada. The doorway occupies the position of the front central projection. The height of the bada increased with the increase of the height of the vimana. The increase of height warranted modification in the treatment of jangha. Instead of proportionately elongating the niches, which would definitely look odd, an attempt was made to add more items into the increased space. In the new arrangement the niches and figures are placed in two levels on the jangha, but the three central parsvadevata niches occupy the middle position extending to both the levels. The bandhana separates both the lower and upper janghas. The uppermost portion of the bada is called baranda. It consists of a series of seven or ten horizontal mouldings, which separates gandi from the bada. The bada is decorated with vertical projections called rathas. Depending upon the number of projections the design of bada becomes triratha, pancaratha, sapta ratha and navaratha. In the triratha design, there is a central projection and two corner ones and whereas in the panca ratha design, in between central and corner projections, there are two intermediary projections. In this manner the saptaratha designs are formed. The central projection is always wider than the rest, which are of equal size. It is said earlier that the central projections contain the bigger niches to house the images of parsvadevata. With the increase of the number of projections, the bada or wall becomes more round in appearance inspite of the square ground plan. 31

In the triratha design, the rathas are generally flat but in other designs we notice a tendency towards roundness. Gandi or Sikhara.The upper portion of the baranda is called gandi or sikhara. The bada of the rekha deula is surmounted by the curvilinear superstructure. Like the Nagara Style temples of North India, the Orissan temples have curvilinear superstructure. It rises straight up to a certain height and then begins to curve inwards. The curve is more pronounced in latter temples. Like bada, gandi or sikhara has offset projections called pagas (also rathas). These pagas create the optical impression of vertical lines or rekhas on the gandi. It is because of the prominence of the rekhas, the temples having sikharas became known as rekha deulas or rekha type temples. Being integral part of the gandi the projection curves inwards after rising straight upto a certain height. 24 The number of pagas on the gandi determine the order of the temple. One central paga or raha paga and two corner pagas or kanika pagas make the temple a triratha one. In the panca ratha temple the rahapaga is flanked by two intermediary pagas called anuratha pagas besides the kanika paga. In a sapta-ratha temple, the pagas are seven in number. The pagas on the either side of the raha are called anuraha paga. In the nava-ratha temple, the pagas are nine in number. The pagas on between the kanika and anuratha are called pariratha pagas. The kanika paga is divided into several bhumis (storeys) by miniature amalas called bhumi amalas (ribbed discs). Each bhumi (story) is further subdivided into a number of horizontal mouldings called bhumi barandis. The earlier temples have five bhumi divisions. With the increase of the height of the vimana, the number increased to ten. 25 The variation in the number of bhumibarandis in different temples does not follow a regular sequence. The raha paga on the gandi of the rekha deula is always aligned with that of the bada. During the Somavamsi period the pagas of the gandi and the rathas of bada became aligned.26 They extend vertically from the base of the bada to the top of the gandi. The pagas terminate at the bisama (the topmost course of the gandi below beki). The bisama seals the top of the sikhara. It is only in later temples that the bisama partakes of the paga divisions of the gandi. The gandi of the temples built during the period of Somavamsi rule are found decorated with anga-sikharas (miniature rekha deulas). The amga-sikharas is an important feature of the Candella temples of Central India. T.E. Donaldson has 32

referred that it was applied to the temples of Orissa by the Somavamsi rulers who hailed from that region." On the other hand, K.C.Panigrahi contends that the practice of decorating the gandi of the rekha deula with the anga-sikharas is not exotic and its origin can be traced to the pre-Somavamsi period. 28 In the temples as early as the Parasuramesvara the central pilasters of bada containing parsvadevata niches are designed as miniature rekha deulas. In the Vaitala temple the four corners of the rectangular mukhasala are adorned with the miniature rekha deulas. Thus the anga-sikharas are the outcome of the process of evolution and not borrowed from any extraneous source. Most probably, the designs of miniature rekha deulas or anga- sikharas are the regional art products of Orissa. Most of the Siva temples of Puri town as well as Bhubaneswara are also decorated with angasikharas. In the North Indian temples, the main sikharas is supported by a number of miniature sikharas, whereas in Orissan temples the main sikhara, which rises in a vertical manner, rests on its own strength. In North Indian temples the angasikharas support, dominate and adorn the main sikharas. But in case of Orissan temples, the miniature sikharas or angasikharas, which form parts of the wall of the temple decoration but do not dominate the main sikharas. On the Central Indian temples the angasikharas have been used apparently to provide additional support to the tower of the main temple.29 In the subsequent temples of the Ganga and Gajapati periods, the angasikharas were profusely used as the decorative elements of the gandi. The angasikharas emphasise the soaring height of the gandi without breaking of its contour. Thus by the eleventh century AD onwards the angasikharas became an important element of the decoration of the gandi of Orissan temples. On the four raha pagas above the bho motifs in later temples are projected with the figures of either a rampant lion or a crouchant lion upon a prostrate elephant. i.e. gaja-kranta motif. These projected lion figures do not serve any purpose so far as the architecture of the temple is concerned. Nor they add substantially to the over hall decoration of the wall surface. Perhaps, these lions symbolically represent the majesty of the temple. 33

Mastaka (Head):The portion above the gandi is called mastaka or head. The mastaka of the rekha deula consists of beki, amlaka sila, khapuri, kalasa³and ayudha. The recessed cylindrical portion just above the bisama is termed as beki or neck. It serves the purpose of the stand for positioning the huge amalaka sila. The amalaka, a flattened spheroid ribbed at sides, is a huge piece of stone and when placed on the top it exerts downward pressure by which the blocks of stone are kept in position. In later temples, the amalaka sila is supported by dopichha lions at the corners and figures of vimanapalas placed on the cardinal directions of the beki above rahas. Above the amalaka sila is capped by a slightly curved stone slab called khapuri. It is surmounted by a kalasa or water jar.³¹ The auspicious kalasa 31 sometimes made of gold. Besides kalasa, the other element, which surmounts khapuri, is ayudha or weapon. From the ayudha it can be ascertained to which divinity the temple is dedicated. The dhvaja or banner is placed at the pinnacle of the temple.32 All the rekha deulas of Orissa are used as the main sanctum of the temple.