Temples of Purushottama Kshetra Puri

by Ratnakar Mohapatra | 2007 | 135,363 words

This essay studies the Temples of Purushottama Kshetra (Puri) which is renowned for its historic and religious significance, situated in Orissa (Odisha) by the Bay of Bengal. Purusottama-ksetra is famous for the Lord Jagannatha temple and numerous smaller temples, it showcases the distinctive Kalinga architectural style. The region serves as a key ...

7. Patalesvara Temple (in Puri)

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The temple of Patalesvara (Pataleshwar) is a small deula and it is situated in the inner courtyard of the northern side of the Jagannatha temple complex of Puri. The exact location of the temple is to the east of Sri-Rama temple and it is dedicated to Lord Siva. The Patalesvara Siva is one of the Asta-sambhus or eight guardian sambhus of the ksetra of Purusottama. 110 The temple of Patalesvara is famous for the inscriptions incised in three different characters on the left doorjamb of the main deula or vimana." The temple is erected 27 feet below from the ground of the temple.112 From the architectural point of view, the Patalesvara temple is an 217

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important one. It was so built as to make the lower portion appeared buried in the temple courtyard. A descending flight of steps leads on the floor of the sanctum enshrining the Svayambhu Lingam of the deity. 113 This temple is one the ancient Saiva shrines in the precincts of the Jagannatha temple of ksetra. As many as four inscriptions of the time of Anangabhima Deva III relating to the management of the Jagannatha temple are noticed around the door entrance to the sanctum. The first grant records the offering of milk, butter,rice and curds to the Lord. 114 The second inscription mentions the grant of two batis and five manas of land by the Padatika Khanda to Lord Jagannatha for daily offering of clarified butter, rice, curry, curd and betel leaf. 115 The third grant refers to the gift of two batis of land in Kuranga and Murada villages by Kirtisvara Naik to Lord Jagannatha for naivedya.116 The fourth grant indicates to the gift of one bati and ten manas of land for supply of naivedya and ten bundles of fragrant flowers everyday to the deity." These four inscriptions on the left walls of the Patalesvara temple refer to Anangabhima Deva in most eulogistic terms. 118 The inscription records the date as Saka year 1158 i.e. corresponding to 1236 AD and it is written in the 39th Anka of Sri Anangabhima Deva-III in the kingdom of Lord Sri Purusottama in the month of Makara, for the grant of a plot of land, measuring 2 batis and five manas, in the village of Khanda Saisasa east under the supervision of Bisu Padhi for Naivedya." The inscriptions of temple are incised in proto-Oriya character of the 13th century AD. 120 The place where the inscription is located is very dark, and it is very difficult to stay there for a great length of time. Due to the inscriptions being incised in the wall, the temple is of considerable of historical importance. Art & Architecture of the Temple:The temple of Patalesvara consists of three structures such as vimana, jagamohana and natamandapa. This temple is built in sand stones. It faces to east. Vimana The vimana of the Pataleshwar temple is a rekha deula and its height is about 35 feet from the ground of the temple. Half of this temple is submerged in the earth. The main deula or vimana lies at present at a depth of 20 feet from the floor level of the inner courtyard of the Jagannatha temple. 121 So the entire bada 218

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portion of the vimana is buried under the earth. The bada of the vimana is surmounted by the curvilinear superstructure, which is thickly plastered with lime mortar. The entire gandi is almost unornamented. The mastaka of the vimana consists of usual elements of rekha deula such as beki, amalakasila, khapuri, kalasa, ayudha (trident) and dhvaja. The sanctum preserves Sivalinga within Saktipitha as the presiding deity of the temple. Pancamukhi (five faced) Sivalinga has been installed below the Sakti pitha. So the Linga is not commonly visible to people. Hence this Siva is known as Pataleshvara. Legend says that Bhagabana Vamana putting his third leg on the head of Bali while pressing him to patala, Bali stayed here by becoming Patalesvara Siva.122 A descending flight of steps are provided to enter into the floor level of the sanctum, which is about 20 feet below from the floor of the Kurma bedha. 123 There is a stone slab, which contains the images of Siva-Parvati or Hara-Parvati and it is closely installed to the backside wall of the sanctum. A painting of ten-headed Ravana figure is also excellently depicted in the backside wall of the sanctum. The vamana has one doorway towards the jagamohana. The jambs of the doorway are devoid of decorative ornamentation. The figures of navagrahas are finely carved on the doorway lintel. They are all in seated posture (padmasana) with usual attributes in their hands. The head of Rahu is depicted above the doorway lintel. Here the image of Gaja-Laksmi is carved on the architrave above the Rahu head. Nandi and Bhrngi are installed on either side base of the doorjambs. They are acting as the traditional dvarapalas of the temple. Jagamohana or Mukhasala The jagamohana of the Pataleshvara temple is a pidha deula and its height is about 15 feet from the surface of the temple complex. The base of the bada is rectangle and it measures approximately 30 feet in length and 15 feet in width. The outer walls of the bada are completely plain. The pyramidal superstructure is surmounted on the bada of the jagamohana and it consists of three pidhas. There is no element of mastaka found from the top of the upper pidha. The jagamohana has one doorway towards the north. 219

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Natamandapa. The natamandapa of the Pataleshwar temple is a pidha deula and its height is about 18 feet from the surface of the temple complex. The base of the structure is square of 15 feet. The structure is erected on a low plinth of one foot high. The bada of the natamandapa is completely plain. The pyramidal superstructure also surmounts on the bada of the natamandapa and it consists of four flat shaped pidhas. There is only kalasa found on the top of the upper pidha There is no separate wall between the jagamohana and the natamandapa. The inner walls of the jagamohana and natamandapa are decorated with some sculptures and paintings. The niches of the southern side inner wall of the jagamohana contain images of Hara-Parvati in a single slab and a small Sivalinga within Saktipitha. The images of Hara-Parvati are carved in standing posture on the plain pedestal. Both lion and bull are also depicted on the pedestal. The image of Siva (Hara) displays trident in right upper hand, abhaya mudra in right lower hand, dambaru in left upper hand and the left lower hand lies on the shoulder of devi Parvati. Small Sivalinga within Saktipitha is installed on the left side of the Hara-Parvati image. The eastern side inner wall of the natamandapa is excellently depicted with the painting of ten-armed Banambara Siva. The figure of Banambara has been depicted on the prostrate body of an asura (demon). His right hands display naga pasa, parasu, amkusa, dambaru and varada mudra while the left side hands possess snake, trident, dhvaja, bell and abhaya mudra. There is a painting of Kartikeya found from the south-eastern wall of the natamandapa. He is depicted on a peacock, the conventional mount of deity. He displays cakra in the right upper hand, arrow in right lower hand, conch in left upper hand and bow in left hand respectively. The northeast corner of the natamandapa is also depicted with a painting of Ganesa. The four handed image of Ganesa is depicted in standing posture on the dambaru shaped pedestal. He displays nagapasa in right upper hand, broken tusk in right lower hand, arkusa in left upper hand and a ladu in left lower hand respectively. 220

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Devotees at this place (Pataleshvara temple) after visiting Lord Siva turn their face towards south and see the Nilacakra of Srimandira and pay their obeisance to Nilacakra. Date of the temple: The construction of the temple of Patalesvara within the precincts of the main Jagannatha temple is ascribed to Anangabhima Deva-II, the fifth king of the Ganga dynasty, who is supposed to have ascended the throne in 1192 AD. 124 On the basis of the inscriptions of Anangabhima Deva III in the doorway wall, most of the scholars accept that this temple belonged to the Ganga period of Orissa history and it was constructed contemporary period of the Jagannatha temple. On the basis of the architectural style and sculptural features (rare), the construction period of Patalesvara (Pataleshwar) temple can be tentatively assigned to the last quarter of the 12th century AD.

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