5.13. Navagrahas in Odisha art

A row of either eight or nine grahas or planets are carved on the architrave above the doorway lintel of the temples. The graha-slabs are found in most of the temples except the Vaitala and Sisiresvara temples of Bhubaneswara. According to the Hindu Mythology, the propitiation of grahas leads to annihilation of evils. It is perhaps because of this reason that the grahas have been associated with the temples. In pre-Somavamsi temples of Orissa (Odisha) as for examples at Parasuramesvara, only the eight grahas are found depicted on the panel. All the grahas except Surya and Rahu hold rosary in right hand and water pot in the left. These grahas are, Rabi (Sun), Soma (Moon), Mangala (Mar). Budha (Mercury), Brhaspati (Jupiter), Sukra (Venus), Sani (Saturn) and Rahu (ascending node of Moon). Beginning from the Somavamsi period, as at Muktesvara, all the nine grahas are depicted. The number of grahas increases to nine with the addition of Ketu (descending node of Moon). It is difficult to explain the occurrence of eight grahas in the earlier temples even though the idea of navagrahas or nine planets was known to Varaha Mihira, the famous astronomer of the sixth century AD. Vidya Dehejia is of the view that the preference to astottari system of Indian astronomy was adopted by the Jainas even though they were aware of the existence of nine grahas.105 All the grahas are depicted as youthful figures except Rahu and Ketu. Rahu is depicted half bust in terrific form. The lower part of Ketu is in the form of a reptile. Except the last two, all are depicted in sitting position with rosary in their right hands and water jars in the left. But Rabi or Sun holds a lotus flower. Soma or Moon has a crescent behind his head. Brhaspati is shown bearded. Sometimes they have haloes behind their heads. In 1924 R.P.Chand, the then Superintendent of the Archaelogical Section, Indian Museum, Calcutta first drew the notice of scholars to the names of the planets inscribed on the door architrave of the sanctum of the Parsuramesvara temple of Bhubaneswara. 106 K.C.Panigrahi discovered the second inscription of the 67

graha slab of the Satrughnesvara temple. He assigned the Parsuramesvara and Satrughnesvara temples on the polaeographic grounds to the first quarter of the 7th century AD. 107 No other temple in Odisha bears such inscribed graha label. The navagraha slabs of the Jagannatha and Konarka temples represent the typical Orissan mode of depicting them in a row.