Vimala Temple, Puri – The Temple

Vimala Temple, Puri – The Temple

The temple is located in the south-west corner of the inner enclosure of the Jagannath temple complex and on the right hand western corner of the tower of Jagannath, next to the sacred pond Rohini kunda. The temple faces east and is built of sandstone and laterite. It is built in the Deula style that has four components namely, Vimana (structure containing sanctum), Jagamohana (assembly hall), Nata Mandapa (festival hall) and Bhoga Mandapa (hall of offerings). The temple is maintained and was renovated around 2005 by the Archaeological Survey of India, Bhubaneswar Circle.

Vimana:

The vimana is a Rekha deula (a tall building with a shape of sugarloaf), 60 feet (18 m) in height and in shape of 15 feet (4.6 m) square. It stands on a 2 feet (0.61 m) platform, which is decorated with lotus and other floral designs and scrollwork. The outer wall of the vimana is divided into 5 parts (from base to top): pabhaga, talajangha, bandhana, upara jangha and baranda. The niches and intervening recesses of the first part of the wall are ornate, with khakhara mundis (a type of niche), scrollwork, floral designs, creepers, love-making couples and Nagas (serpent-men).

The niches and intervening recesses of the second part of the wall are also decorated with khakhara mundis, simhavidalas (a lion-faced beast), Gajavidalas (an elephant-faced lion trampling a lion), jali work, scroll work, sikshadana scene (sages teaching disciples) and kirtimukha (a monster face) motifs, along with the figurines of eight Dikpalas (guardian gods of the directions) and some goddesses. The third part of the outer wall has two horizontal mouldings decorated with alasa-kanyas (beautiful human maidens), scrollwork and floral and lotus motifs.

The niches and recesses of the fourth part of the wall are decorated with pidha mundis (a type of niche), simhavidalas, erotic scenes, alasa-kanyas, scrollwork, jali work and floral designs, along with figures of the consorts of the Dikpalas, Nagas and their female consort Naginis and various goddesses. The Dikpalas and their consorts are seen with their mounts and aligned to their respective directions.

Images of the Parsvadevatas (attendant deities) are placed in the central niches of the outer wall (bada) on three sides: the eight-armed Durga slaying Mahishasura on the south; the six-armed goddess Chamunda standing on Shiva on the west and an empty niche on the north, which probably had a goddess figure that was stolen. The lintel of the attendant deity niche has Gaja Lakshmi figurines. The frames of the niches are decorated with scrollwork and kirtimukha motifs and two female attendants accompany each niche.

The uppermost part of the outer wall has ten horizontal mouldings, ornate with scrollwork, kirtimukha and lotus and floral motifs. Within the vimana lies the garbhagriha (sanctum), which is topped with a Pancharatha-style, curvilinear temple pinnacle. The goddess Vimala is deified within the sanctum, the sixth century inner chamber that is devoid of wall decorations. The central icon of Vimala holds a rosary in the upper right hand. Her lower right hand is held in a boon-giving gesture and her lower left holds a pitcher, considered to be filled with amrita (celestial elixir of life).

The attribute in the upper left hand is heavily disputed. Descriptions include a human figurine, a nagini, a mermaid, a naga-pasha (serpent-noose) or some other object. She holds no weapons normally attributed to Durga. The icon is installed on a simhaasana (lion-throne), adorned with the figures of the goddess female attendants Chaya and Maya on the sides. The image is said to be made of lakha (a type of wax) and slightly taller than 4 feet (1.2 m).

The sanctum door, with a flight of stairs, leads down to the jagamohana. The lintel has the Gaja Lakshmi figurine in the centre surrounded with apsaras (celestial maidens). The Navagraha (deities of the classical planets) are carved above the lintel. The doorjambs are decorated scrollwork, creepers, flowers and boys playing. Two gate-keeper sculptors surround the door.

Jagamohana:

The jagamohana or Mukhasala is a pidha deula (square building with a pyramid-shaped roof), 35 feet (11 m) in height with a 25 feet (7.6 m) square base. It stands on a 2 feet (0.61 m) high platform, which is decorated with floral designs and scrollwork. The outer wall is divided into 5 parts, as in the vimana. The niches and intervening recesses of the first part are adorned with Khakhara mundi niches (having amorous couples and erotic scenes), Naga pilasters, scrollwork, jali work and floral motifs.

The talajangha has the same motifs as the vimana's second part of the wall, barring the goddesses. The third part of the wall has three horizontal mouldings. The fourth part of the wall also resembles its counterpart in the vimana, except it does not have the Naga and goddess sculptures. The uppermost part of the wall has seven horizontal mouldings, the central portion of which is decorated with dancing women, amorous couples, elephants, deer, scrollwork and jali work. The gavaksha (decorative arch) on the northern and southern sides are royal court and sikshadana scenes, with a balustraded window on each side.

The frames of the windows are decorated with scrollwork, jali work, playing boys, floral designs, creepers and dancing women. The structure is topped with a pyramidal shikhara. The inner walls have no ornamentation. The jagamohana has two doorways: one towards the sanctum (already discussed in vimana section) and other towards the Natamandapa, which is similar in style and decoration to the former.

Natamandapa:

The Natamandapa is a pidha deula, 22 feet (6.7 m) in height and in shape of rectangle 35 feet (11 m) in length by 18 feet (5.5 m). It is probably a later addition to the original temple, which consisted of the vimana and jagamohana. It stands on a 3.5 feet (1.1 m) platform. The five divisions of the outer wall are undecorated. It is topped with a small pyramidal pinnacle. The Natamandapa has four door ways, one on each side of the wall. Inner walls of the Natamandapa are adorned with Pattachitra-style traditional Odishan paintings, depicting sixteen forms of the Hindu Goddess, including the Mahavidyas.

Bhogamandapa:

The bhogamandapa is a pidha deula, 20 feet (6.1 m) in height and in shape of 15 feet (4.6 m) square. It stands on a 4 feet (1.2 m) platform. The five outer wall divisions are undecorated. It is topped with a small pinnacle. An eight-armed dancing Ganesha and a 12-armed, six-headed standing Kartikeya (both are the sons of Parvati and Shiva) occupy niches on the western inner wall. The ceiling has floral paintings with a lotus design in the middle, suspending downwards. 

The bhogamandapa has four doorways, opening on each side. Two female gatekeepers guard each door. A flight of steps at the eastern doorway serves as the main entrance of the temple. At the entrance to the shrine outside the bhogamandapa, there is a 4 feet (1.2 m) Gaja-Simha, the lion – the goddess' vahana (mount or vehicle) – riding over an elephant, symbolizing the victory of good over evil. It is covered by a flat roof.