Relief of Ananta Sayana Vishnu, Saranga, Odisha

Relief of Ananta Sayana Vishnu, Saranga, Odisha

Relief of Ananta Sayana Vishnu is a large open-air rock relief of Lord Vishnu in the Saranga village in Dhenkanal District of Odisha, India. It is located on the left bank of the Brahmani River. It is the largest such exposed rock cut structure in the horizontal position measuring 15.4 metres (51 ft) in length, in the whole of India, while the largest standing image is of Gomateshwara in Southern India. It is a protected monument maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, Bhubaneswar Circle.

History

The relief might have been carved during the early 9^th century CE by Bhaumakaras. It is also said that Nandodhbahav feudatory rulers, under the Bhaumakara kings, were followers of Vaishnavism, were instrumental in commissioning the carvings of two large rock-cut images of Vishnu at Saranga and the other at Dankal, in the upper Brahmani River valley. This relief is under the care of Archaeological Survey of India.

The Relief

The Ananta Sayana Vishnu (reclining pose of Lord Vishnu on the serpent Ananta) image is located on the left bank of the river bed of the Brahmani River. It is situated at an elevation of 200 feet (61 m). This image is under the open sky and measures 15.4 metres (51 ft) in length and 7 metres (23 ft) in width with a thickness of 0.7 metres (2 ft 4 in). It is the largest such exposed rock cut structure in the horizontal position measuring 15.4 metres (51 ft) in length, in the whole of India, while the largest standing image is of Gomateshwara in Southern India.

The image is carved out of natural rock of sandstone formation. He has four arms, holding a Chakra in the upper right hand, a Shankha in his upper left hand, a Gada and a symbolic lotus on its lower left hand. The hoods of the serpent Shesha (Ananta) covering the head of Lord Vishnu. The Vishnu image has a sharp chin, distinctive nose and wears a crown on its head, called kiritamukuta (a tall conical crown, typically worn by Vishnu). A lotus design shown sprouting from his navel has the creator god Brahma, sitting in meditation.

There is another image carved in sandstone in a reclining posture is in Khamkanaga Subdivision, in Angul district of 41.5 feet (12.6 m) length (as against the length of 15.4 metres (51 ft) image in Saranga village. The figure, though a protected monument of the Archaeological Survey of India is steadily deteriorating by the dash and flow of flood waters of the river Brahmani.

Festivals

This place witness huge crowds during Ekadashi and Poornimas.

Connectivity

The relief is located at about 2 Kms from Sarang, 7 Kms from Talcher Thermal Railway Station, 8 Kms from Talcher Bus Stand, 9 Kms from Talcher, 18 Kms from Angul, 69 Kms from Dhenkanal, 114 Kms from Cuttack and 142 Kms from Bhubaneshwar Airport. It is approached from the National Highway 55 from Cuttack to Sambalpur, on branch road at Banarpal over distance of 14 Kms.

Location