5.10. Shakta Images in Odisha art

The extant Shakta images in Orissa (Odisha) are also quite numerous. It will be difficult even to give a short account of all these images and here only a brief references can be made to the important forms of the devi. Parvati in a standing pose is usually placed as the parsvadevata in a Saiva shrine and fine chlorite images of the goddess are known from the Somavamsi times. As an example, we may refer to the very beautiful image of Parvati in the northern niche of the Lingaraja temple. Besides being worshipped as the presiding deity, Mahisamardini is also known in the role of the parsvadevata. Two armed figure of Mahisamardini from the Viraja temple, assigned to the Gupta period shows the earliest form of the goddess in Odisha art. Beginning with a two-armed image the form developed into four armed image, eight armed and ten-armed ones with characteristic attributes. Again Mahisamardini images can be divided into three distinct types taking into account the changes in the form of the buffalo demon. In the early images the demon appears in buffalo form, next he is shown with human body and buffalo head; and finally the form crystallizes into human form issuing out from the decapitated trunk of a buffalo. The important images of Mahisamardini are known from Bhubaneswara (Vaitala, Sisiresvara and Lingaraja temple compound), Khiching, Orasahi, Vatesvara (Bhagabati compound), Suklesvara, Adaspur, Motia, Ambapada and other places. 63

The worship of the Saptamatrkas formed an important aspect of the Sakta cult in Odisha. The images of the Saptamatrkas are found carved on the both early as well as later temples of Orissa. According to the Saiva Agama texts, they are Brahmani, Mahesvari, Kaumari, Vaisnavi, Varahi, Indrani and Camunda. In the temples, they are shown, seated with their respective mounts at the bottom. The respective mounts are swan, bull, peacock, Garuda, buffalo, elephant and owl. In the later temples deadbody eaten by jackel takes the place of owl for Camunda. The matrkas sitting in a row is flanked by Virabhadra and Ganesa on either side. Of the matrkas, Camunda is the most terrific in appearance. She has four arms, emaciated body with shrunken belly. In the body the veins and ribs are prominently displayed. With drooping breasts, sunken eyes having protruding eye-balls, bals head. She wears a skull garland. In Camunda "the Orissan artists have skillfully produced one of the most terror-striking image, not a lifeless fetish of uncultured people, but a concrete representation of the esoteric symbolism underlying one aspect of the Tantric faith". 103 An important development in the iconography of the Saptamatrkas, as noticed for the first time in the Patalesvar temple at Paikapada, is the depiction of babies on their laps except Camunda. The images of Saptamatrkas are also noticed in temples such as Parasuramesvara, Vaitala, Simhanatha and Muktesvara. Again such images are known from Sheragarh, Garedipancan, Khiching, Sathalpur, and Belkhandi etc. The outstanding large size images of Saptamatrkas hail from Jajpur (at Dasasvamedha ghat) and Puri (inside the Markandesvar temple complex). Equally massive are the figures of Vaisnavi, Varahi, Indrnani and Camunda from Dharmasala now preserved in the Odisha State Museum. The images of Saptamatrkas discovered in Orissa fall under two categories, the earlier and the later. The earlier matrkas do not hold babies, but babies are invariably associated with the later types. The latter convention was established from about the Somavamsi period. The matrka images of Varahi and Camunda are also worshipped indivisually in many places of Orissa. The cult of Varahi is known from images discovered from Caurasi, Bayalisbati, Bhubaneswar (Lingaraja compound), Satabhaia, Narendrapur, Bancua and Domagandari. Varahi is the presiding deity of the beautiful khakhara temple at Caurasi. Camunda is the presiding deity of the Vaitala temple. She is also worshipped at Avana and Khiching. 64

The cult of the 'Sixty-four Yoginis' also prevailed in Orissa. The two famous Yogini pithas of Orissa are located at Hirapur and Ranipur Jharial. Particularly the chlorite images of Yoginis from Hirapur are among the group be recognized the figures of Agneyi, Narasimhi etc. The other images of devi, such as Mangala at Kakatpur, Candi images at Bali Haracandi and Kenduli, detached devi images from Pedagadi, Carcika of Banki etc are of great iconographic interest. The mother aspect of the devi is clearly emphasized in the images of the Bhadrakali from Bhadrak and the Bata Mangala of Puri.