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Orissa Review * November - 2005

Orissan Temple Architecture

Dr. Soma Chand

Orissa is a land of temples. The concentration of Silpasastra, Silpasarini, Upanishad,

the largest number of temples all over the State Silparatnakosa, Vastusastra, Silpa Prakash,
has made it a centre of unique attraction for the Padma Kesara Deula Mapagunagara, Bhuban
scholars, indolologists, tourists and others. Prabesh, Soudhikagana etc. indicating the
Out of the five standard achieved by our
different types of architecture ancestors in the field of temple
that is Devotional, Memorial, architecture.
Civil, Military and Domestic. The Indian temples in
We mainly come general are divided into three
across the devotional type of categories based on their
architecture in Orissa while geographical location and
others have disappeared with peculiar features-
the ravages of time and power.
- The Northern Indian
Temples as free- temples are branded as
standing structures came to Nagara style of Architecture.
Orissa after the Gupta period
through Dakshina Kosala. - The Southern temples of
The Hindu hegemony if Deccan belong to the Vessara
Somavamsi, Bhaumakaras, style.
Gangas inspired the Orissan - The third category is
architects to carry on the spirit called Dravida style found in
of creating their own style of South India.
archit ectural temple
representations without any Islamic or Persian The Orissan temple architecture ranging
influence. The period thus ranges from 6th century from 7th to 13th century A.D however,
A.D. to 16th century A.D. corresponds to an altogether different category
The builders of the Orissan temples gave for their unique representations called Kalingan
vent to their feelings on the basis of indigenous style of temple architecture though broadly they
canonical texts like Bhuban Pradip, Silpapothi, came under the Northern style or Nagara style,

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they have certain special features which are unique The constructive peculiarities of Orissan
of their own. temple is marked by uniqueness. The architects
perceived the temple in the form of a human male
The Orissan temples are of three types-
figure or Purusha.
- Khakhara Deula
Like human physical divisions of leg,
- Rekha Deula thigh, waist, chest, neck and head the temple had
- Pidha or Bhadra Deula similar shapes and structures.

The Khakhara Deula is altogether a The Vimana or the main temple of Orissa
different style of architecture closely appearing is always of Rekha designs with the following
similar to the Dravidian Gopuran design. The special features such as-
word is derived from Khakharu (Pumpkin, gourd) - Pavement or Talapattana
as the crown looks like a barrel- vaulted elongated
- Plintha or Pitha
roof. The Sakta temples are generally of
Khakhara order. Brahmi temple of Chaurasi in - Curvilinear Tower or Rekha or Rathak
Puri and Gouri temple of Bhubaneswar are two - Neck or the recess below the Amlaka
glaring examples of Khakhara temple. Sila called Beki
Other Saivite and Vaisnavite temples in - Denticulate blocks of stone called
Orissa represent both Rekha and Pidha types. In Amlaka Sila.
the formative period of Orissan temple architecture
there were only two structures of the temples. - Stone cape resembling an unfolded
umbrella or Khapuri
- The first is original sanctum or Vimana or
Bada Deula. - Finial or Kalasa

- The second is Jagamohan or Mukhasala. - Trident or Discuss

The sanctum of the temple is of Rekha From the ground Vimana rises vertically
to a height than in a curvilinear design to the neck.
order which has a curvilinear super structure. But
From the base to the gandi or trunk portion the
the Jagamohana standing before the main structure
rise is perpendicular and then the temple slowly
is of Pidha order. The Pidhas form several tiers
inclines inward in a critical manner till the four
sitting one upon the other rising to a pinnacle.
reclining walls join together at the Beki or neck.
With the march of time the Oriya Above the Beki is the portion called Mastaka or
architects began to invent newer forms of crown which consists of the amlaka, inverted
structure. Thus in the big temples we find four Kalasa and Dhvaja. Finally comes the mark of
structures- the Deity-Trident or Trishul in case of a Siva temple
- Vimana or Bada Deula or a Discuss or Chakra in case of a Vishnu temple.
The crown portion is called Khapuri. Over the
- Jagamohana or Mukhasala or Hall of ayudha there may be a flag as auspicious mark.
audiences Thus a temple is represented as a Purusha.
- Nata Mandira or Festive Hall In a pyramidal Pidha type of temple
- Bhoga Mandapa or the Hall of offerings. curvilinear Vimana is not there. The gandi or trunk

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rises from the ground perpendicularly upto a point perceptible decline in the artistic merit of the
and then the pyramidal roof is constructed on the decorative programmes of Orissan temple
four walls that looks much alike the shape of a architecture.
thatched house from a distance. The antiquity of Orissa is endorsed by
Another way is to study the Orissan her temple architecture which is as subline as it is
temple by resorting to vertical division. This is aesthetically innervating. For centuries now the
done with the help of vertical segments marked Orissan Golden Triangle of Bhubaneswar-Puri-
on the Vimana of the temple called Pagas. The Konark has retained a vantage point on India's
projection at the centre is called Rahapaga, on pilgrimage circuit for their devotional architectural
the either side of Raha are two Anurahapagas background.
and at the two corners are two Konakapagas. In Lingaraj temple of Bhubaneswar marked
course of time by gradual evolution. Triratha plan the culmination of the evolution of Orissan temple
of the temple became Pancharatha. Saptaratha architecture. Exactly a century later started the
and Navaratha temples. construction of Jagannath temple with the final
Another distinctive feature of the Orissan product of Orissan architects-that is the temple
temples is the decorative programmes which are of Konark.
of three types:- The Orissan Temple Architecture holds
- Constructive an appeal that is magnetic and almost stupefying
- Representative in its extravagance and mobility. The dizzying
heights of the heavily sculptured towers are as
- Purely ornamental or Decorative much reasons for wonder as are the exquisitely
These designs are governed by wrought-base-reliefs within their numerous halls.
specifications laid down by Silpasastra. The From the splendid ruins of Konark to highly
vertical projections called Pagas are designed as sanctified environs of Jagannath and Lingaraj, one
miniature shrines with niches which contain can get an unforgettable experience of Orissa's
different sculptures to beautify the temple. The arts and crafts. They are the symbols of Orissa's
canon of architecture classifies soil, stone and cultural heritage that remain an eye-opener even
temples and contains details of designs and today.
placement of icons, decorative motifs,
Parsvadevatas, Dikpatis, Astasakhis, Naga and
Nagini, Sardula, Ulta-Gaja-Viraja-Singh, Ulta-
Gaja-Singh, Navagraha, Vaitala, Kirtimukha
types of scroll like Phulalata, Natilata, Patralata,
Vanalata, elephant, horse, bull, Makara and other Dr. Soma Chand is the Reader in History, Ravenshaw
animals. After 13th century there was a College, Cuttack

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