Mukteshvara Temple,
Bhubaneswar – The Temple Complex
The temple is situated in a
garden complex known as Siddharanya (forest of siddhas) and is situated on the
southeast corner of the garden. This temple is facing towards west and stands
on a low platform. The temple is enclosed within a low octagonal compound wall.
The compound wall is built with four courses of stones. The bottom-most course
contains plain stones with gavaksha (window) design, many of these windows have
standing figures.
The next course has niches set
within two flanking pilasters. These niches have a male face or a lotus. The
third course has plain stones with a small standing or seated figure at its
top. The last course is plain and simple, curved at the top. There are thirty
corner niches on this compound wall. These niches are decorated with images of Avalokiteshvara, Lakulisa, Buddha, Surya,
Vishnu, Ganesha, Sarasvati, Varahi, Kartikeya, Chamunda and Parvati. The
enclosure wall is plain from inside.
The space between the temple and
the wall serves as the circumambulatory path. The temple has a torana (the
arched gateway) at the entrance of the octagonal compound. The torana is
heavily influenced by the Buddhist architecture style. The torana has two heavy
pillars supporting a rounded arch on top. The pillars are square at base,
consisting of two courses. These are decorated with miniature temple carvings. The
square base is followed by a sixteen faceted shaft with its top and bottom
decorated course.
Above is the capital of the
column in form of a ribbed cushion topped with an abacus. The torana arch is
formed by two makaras, extending on opposite ends. At the bottom ends and at
apex are three gavaksha (windows) or chaitya decoration. These chaityas have a
male head inside. The torana is dominated by four, two on front and two at back
side, reclining female figures, resembling voluptuous yakshis.
Such toranas were erected to
facilitate dola-utsava ceremony where a movable image of the deity is placed
over a swing for rituals. The temple is pancharatha on plan and triangabada in
elevation. The temple consists of a rekha vimana, pidha jagamohana and a
shallow frontal porch. The vimana is square on plan and the jagamohana is
rectangular on plan. The jagamohana is triratha on plan. The superstructure
over the jagamohana is of pidha (pyramidal style).
The pyramidal roof of the jagamohana
was the first of its kind over the conventional two-tier structure. The roof is
built with twelve tiers of pidhas topped with a kalasa. The northern and
southern walls of the jagamohana has lattice windows of diamond patterns. The
recess between the kanika and anuratha is decorated with naga pilasters. It has
six pabhaga mouldings topped with a slim shaft entwined with a naga or nagini
figure at the bottom.
These naga nagini pillars are
said to have been introduced first in this temple, later became a norm in the Odishan
temple art. The pillars are arranged in alternate manner. The mandapa ceiling
has five receding stone courses of different shapes, and is heavily adorned
with carvings of deities, dancers, musicians, heavenly beings, warriors, flying
figures, floral motifs and geometrical patterns.
The entrance is preceded by a
large Chandra shila (moonstone) followed by a doorway guarded by two
dvarapalas. The figure of Lakulisa, seated in bhumispara mudra and
holding a lakuta is present on the lintel of the jagamohana. A
small extension from the side roof of the jagamohana has the image of a lion
sitting on its hind legs. The exterior walls of the structure are decorated
with pilasters with nagas and naginis.
The dedicatory block of the
sanctum doorway has Gajalakshmi. Navagraha panel can be seen above the lintel. The
base of the doorjamb has dvarapalas. The sanctum enshrines the presiding deity,
Muktesvara, in the form of Shiva Linga within a circular yonipitha. All the
niches around the sanctum are empty. The shikara over the sanctum follows
rekha nagara style of architecture.
The shikara is about 34 feet
tall and intricately carved with sculptures, decorative patters and
architectural patterns. It has four Natarajas and four kirtimukhas
on the four faces. It is a highly ornate chaitya window crowned by masked demon
head and dwarf figures. The shikara is crowned with amalaka and kalasa on top
of it.
The exterior of the temple is
decorated with various deities, salabhanjikas, alasa kanyas, nayikas, ascetics
in emaciated form, pancha tantra stories, animals, social scenes, chaitya
motifs, scroll works, architectural motifs, floral motifs and geometrical
patterns. There is a small tank called as Marichi Kunda, situated to the south
of the main temple.
It is said that a dip in this
kunda will cure infertility in women. The entrance doorway of the tank is
carved with Ganga and Yamuna at the doorjambs and Lakulisa seated with his four
disciples in the center of its lintel. There is a large tank situated on the
eastern side of the temple. It is fed by a natural spring and might be the
principal tank of the temple.
There is a raised terrace with
six miniature temples in a row situated to the west of the main temple. These temples
are arranged in two group, containing three temples each, and the space between
the groups is aligned with the main entrance of the temple. There are four
miniature temples situated on the south eastern side of the main temple. All
these shrines are facing towards west.
Banesvara Temple:
For
brief details, please refer below link;
https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2023/05/mukteshvara-temple-bhubaneswar-banesvara-temple.html
Khakhara Temple:
For brief details, please refer
below link;
https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2023/05/mukteshvara-temple-bhubaneswar-khakhara-temple.html
Pidha Temple:
For
brief details, please refer below link;
https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2023/05/mukteshvara-temple-bhubaneswar-pidha-temple.html
Twin Pidha Temple:
For brief details, please refer
below link;
https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2023/05/mukteshvara-temple-bhubaneswar-twin-pidha-temple.html
Shiva Temple No I:
For
brief details, please refer below link;
https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2023/05/mukteshvara-temple-bhubaneswar-shiva-temple-i.html
Shiva Temple No II:
This temple is situated within
the Muktesvara Temple Complex. The temple was constructed in 10th
century CE by Somavamsis. This temple is considered as the parivara shrine of
Muktesvara. The temple is facing towards east. The temple consists of a rekha
vimana and square on plan. The temple is pancharatha on plan and triangabada in
elevation. The sanctum enshrines a broken image of Ganesha. The exterior is
devoid of any decoration except the chaitya medallion on the frontal raha
projection.
Shiva Temple No III:
For
brief details, please refer below link;
https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2023/05/mukteshvara-temple-bhubaneswar-shiva-temple-iii.html
Shiva Temple No IV:
For
brief details, please refer below link;
https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2023/05/mukteshvara-temple-bhubaneswar-shiva-temple-iv.html
Shiva Temple No VI:
For
brief details, please refer below link;
https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2023/05/mukteshvara-temple-bhubaneswar-shiva-temple-vi.html
Shiva Temple No VII:
For brief details, please refer
below link;
https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2023/05/mukteshvara-temple-bhubaneswar-shiva-temple-vii.html
Shiva Temple No VIII:
For
brief details, please refer below link;
https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2023/05/mukteshvara-temple-bhubaneswar-shiva-temple-viii.html
Vishnu Temple No I:
This
temple is situated within the Muktesvara Temple Complex. The temple was
constructed in 10th century CE by Somavamsis. The temple is facing
towards east. The temple consists of a rekha vimana and a shallow frontal
porch. The temple is pancharatha on plan and triangabada in elevation. The
sanctum is square on plan. The sanctum enshrines an image of Lord Vishnu with
serpent hood as umbrella and holding nectar pot in his hands. The exterior is
devoid of any decoration except
the chaitya medallion at the central raha above the parsvadevta niches and
series of chaitya medallion at the base of the gandi.
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