Chapter 3 - Lord Jagannatha Temple

four hands. The baranda of the bāḍa consists of ten horizontal mouldings, which are devoid of decorative ornamentations. The gandi or sikhara of the jagamohana is a pyramidal superstructure and it consists of two tiers or potalas, the lower and upper, which contain seven and six pidhās respectively. The kanthi or recess between the two poṭalas is filled with pidhā mundis, dancing figures of Lord Kṛṣṇa and gopis. In the centre of each poṭala is decorated with pidhä mastaka design, which is surmounted by the rampart lion (udyata simha). Garuda figures are inserted in the four cardinal directions of the beki above rāhās. Rāhu heads are fixed on the top of kanika pagas of the gandi. The mastaka of the jagamohana consists of beki, ghaṇṭā (bell shaped member) above which there is another beki topped by amalakaśiḷā, khapurī, kaḷasa and ayudha. Here the ayudha is cakra or disc. The four heavy square sized pillars support the pyramidal superstructure or roof of the jagamohana. At the south-east corner of the jagamohana, though detached from it, is a small chamber (of modern period), which serves as a retiring room for the dancers. In the interior of the jagamohana, devadāsis are asked to perform dancing though originally they used to dance in the nāṭamaṇḍapa.30 The jagamohana has two doorways; one leading to the south and another to east. The eastern side doorway towards the nāṭamaṇḍapa is known as Jaya- Vijaya dvāra. The figures of Jaya and Vijaya are the celestial creatures of heaven, who guard the Ratnasiṃhāsana. This doorway is considered as the main entrance towards the sanctum-sanctorum. All the aspects of rāsāliḷā of Lord Jagannatha have been depicted here. The doorjambs are ornately decorated with floral devices, nãāgabandhas, amorous couples, creepers with the frolicking boys, jāli works,piḍhā and khākharā mundis. An image of Gaja-Lakṣmi is finely carved on the centre of the doorway lintel. Flying apsarā figures with musical instruments are also depicted on the doorway lintel. This doorway is one of the finest specimens of the Orissan architecture with saptabandha. K.S.Behera has opined that inside the jagamohana of Jagannatha temple, there is a fine chlorite door-frame. Each jamb, divided into facets, is almost identical in treatment to the eastern doorframe of the jagamohana of the Koṇārka Sun Temple.³¹ Two huge 91