Chapter 3 - Lord Jagannatha Temple

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are relieved with lotus flower devices and creepers with flowers. The Gaja-
Lakṣmi image is carved on the centre of the doorway lintel. Navagrahas are
finely carved on the architrave above the doorway lintel and they are all in
padmāsana posture with usual attributes in their hands.
Jagamohana
The jagamohana or mukhaśāḷā of the Jagannātha temple is a pancaratha
piḍhā deuḷa and its height is about 120 feet from the road level.27 It has also
fourfold vertical divisions viz -piṣṭa (plinth), bāḍa, gaṇḍi and mastaka. The
structure of the jagamohana stands on a high ornamental pista of 6 feet 3 inches
high. 28 The piṣṭa is decorated with khākharā muṇḍis, nāga-nāgini pilasters and
gaja-simha motifs. All the khākharā mundi niches of the pista are housed with
figures of bhārarakṣaka, seated ācāryas and Lord Kṛṣṇa. A staircase consisting of
two flights of 5 and 4 masonry steps connected by landing step leads to the
southern doorway of the jagamohana.
The bāḍa of the jagamohana is pancaratha in plan and it consists of five
fold divisions such as pābhāga, taḷa jāngha, bandhanā, upper jāngha and
baranda. The ground plan of the jagamohana is also square of 80 feet on each
side.29 The pābhāga of the bāḍa consists of conventional mouldings of khurā,
kumbha, pattā, kani and basanta. The pagas in pābhāga are decorated with
khākharā mundis (miniature khākharā order deuḷas). The details of carving on
the mundis cannot be properly seen due to the application of thick plaster on
them. The lower jāngha is also decorated with khakharā mundis in all pagas. The
niches of the munḍis including the images therein cannot be identified due to
plastering on them. It is not possible to recognize the decorative motifs, the
sculptural arts, the mouldings in different elements and even the architectural
designs due to such heavy plastering. The intervening recesses between the
pagas in lower jangha are filled with different types of vidaḷas i.e lion on
elephant and lion with elephant trunk rampant on warrior. The bandhana of the
bāḍa is completely plain. The upper jāngha of the bāḍa is relieved with piḍha
mundis and its intervening recesses are filled with amorous couples or mithuna
figures. A seated Nārāyaṇa figure is noticed on the northern side rāhā paga of
the baḍa. He holds as usual attributes viz. Sankha, cakra, gadā and padma in his