Baitala Deula, Bhubaneswar –
The Temple
Baitala Deula is popularly known
as Tini Mundiya Mandira (the three headed temple). The temple complex is below
the ground level. The temple is
dedicated to goddess Chamunda. The three projecting spires are said to
represent Mahasaraswati, Mahalaxmi and
Mahashakti. The temple based
on its architecture can be traced to the transitional phase of Kalinga School
of Architecture. The east facing Baitala Deula temple has a rectangular vimana
with semi-cylindrical shape roof and Jagamohana enclosed by an irregular
compound wall.
It shares the compound wall with
a nearby Sisireswarar temple. Its vimana is a good example for Khakhara order,
an order that was specially devoted to the tantric cults. This vimana slightly
resembles the Dravidian Gopuram style. The Jagamohana is flat roofed and has
miniature rekha shrine at each corner of the four sides. The temple is
triangabada in elevation. The plan of the deula is oblong and the jagamohana is
a rectangular structure, but embedded in each angle is a small subsidiary shrine.
Another unusual feature is that
its narrow entrance door on the eastern side has no room left for dvarapalas. The
Naga now housed inside was originally planned to be placed at the entrance
serving dvarapalas. There are five idols of Ganesha, Narasimha, Parvati,
Mahishasuramardhini and Naga inside the jagamohana. Parvati, Mahishasuramardhini
and Ardhanariswara are the niche idols around the shrine.
The presiding deity, Chamunda or
Charchika, locally known as Kapalini is housed in the sanctum.
She sits on a corpse flanked by a jackal and an owl and decorated with a
garland of skulls. She has emaciated body (literally skeleton) with sunken
belly, sunken eyes and open mouth. She wears garland of skull and has serpent
on her head. She has eight arms and holds snake, bow, shield, sword, trident,
thunderbolt and arrows. The neck of a Rakshasa is pierced in the
arrow. She is in a terrifying form. The idol is actually a relief image
carved in the central niche inside the main shrine.
The carvings of Shiva and
Parvati in the seated posture are found in the back side of Chamunda. A small
carving of Lakshmi is found above Chamunda. The Chamunda is surrounded by a
host of other smaller size allied deities carved in the lower parts of the
walls, each within a niche separate by a pilaster. The figure on the east wall,
to the right of the door, is a skeleton form of Bhairava forming
the counterpart of Chamunda.
The other, carved on the north
wall, rises from ground, having filled his skull-cup with the blood of a person
whose severed head lies on the right. On the pedestal is an offering of two
more heads on a tray resting on a tripod, flanked by a jackal feasting on the
decapitated body on the right and a woman holding a head on the left. The tantric
character of the temple is also marked by the stone post, to which sacrificial
offerings were tethered, just in front of the jagamohana. Artificial light
is needed to see in the darkness of the interior, though early morning sun
lights up the interior.
The sanctum doorway has female
dvarapalas. This sanctum differ from others in the manner that it has various
images installed around its internal sides. Idols of Ganesha, Sapta
Matas (the seven female deities), Veerabhadra, Bhairava, Shivaduti,
Mahakala, Gaja Samhara Moorthy, Varaha, Abhalakapeswara and Kubera are found in
its internal side of the sanctum. All these deities are found in the sitting
posture and their respective mounts are found along with them. Shivaduti
is a female deity. It is rare to find eight female deities together (along with
Sapta Matas).
Chamunda is one of the seven
Matas. She is found in the central niche whereas the other six Sapta Matas are
in the side walls. Bhairav is not in his usual posture. Similar to
Chamunda, his body is also emaciated with sunken belly and is looking
ferocious. Abhalakapeswara is a form of Shiva. He is found under the
serpent and is in the sitting posture. More than Shiva, he resembles Jain Tirthankara.
Mahakala is another form of Shiva who is found seated on a corpse.
The outer walls of temple have
many panels of deities mostly related to Shiva and Shakti in different forms.
Some sculptures depict the erotic couples and few scenes like hunting
processions or capturing the wild elephants. Also, so many Nayikas are found in
different postures all over the outer wall. The facade of the deula above the left of the jagamohana is
dominated by two chaitya windows. The lower one having a beautifully
carved figure of Surya, the Sun God noted for its facial
expression, with Usha (Dawn) and Pratyusha shooting
arrows on either side and with Aruna in
front, driving a chariot of seven horses.
The medallion in the
upper Chaitya window houses a 10-armed Nataraja
or dancing Shiva.
In front of the flat roofed Jagamohana is a stone post relieved with
two Buddha like figures seated in Dharma-Chakra-Pravartana mudra. One more
important sculpture found in the outer wall is Mahisasuramardini. Mahisasuramardini
has eight arms. She holds sword, trident, thunder bolt, Trisula, shield, bow
and snake. The buffalo headed demon Mahisha is lying down under her feet. The
mount lion bites the right elbow of the demon whereas the snake in the arms of
Goddess draws out the tongue from the mouth of the demon.
Another important sculpture
found in the outer wall is of Durga. Durga has four arms and holds Japamala,
trident, khadga (a type of sword) and a vase in her arms. Above her head, two
flying Vidyadharas are found. Two female attendants flank her. Some of the
other designs and sculptures on the outer walls of the main shrine and
Jagamohana include Jali pattern, scroll works, elephants, lions, Ardhanareeswarar,
Lakulisa, Vidyadharas and Mithuna figures.
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