Somesvara Siva Temple

Somesvara Siva temple
Somesvara Siva temple Location in Orissa
Geography
Coordinates
Country	India
State	Orissa
Locale	Bhubaneswar
Elevation	26 m (85 ft)
Culture
Primary deity	Mahishamardini
Architecture
Architectural styles	Kalingan Style (Kalinga Architecture)
History and governance
Date built	11th century A.D.

The Somesvara Siva temple is located in the Kharakhia Baidyanath temple precinct in Kharakhia Vaidyanath Sahi, Old Town, of Bhubaneswar. It is at a distance of 300 metres south of Lingaraja temple. One can approach the site on the left side of the Baidyanath road leading from Lingaraja temple to Kapilesvar. It is a living temple and is cing towards west. The enshrined deity of this temple is a Siva lingam within a circular yonipitha at the center of the sanctum sanctorium. The temple is under the care and maintenance of Babulal Makaddam Badu Mohapatra on whose private land the temple stands. He is the chief priest of the temple. The sanctum is 0.93 metres below the chandrasila.

Ownership

Single/ Multiple

Single.

Public/ Private

Private.

Name

Babulal Makaddam Badu Mohapatra

Address

Kharakhia Baidyanath Sahi, Old Town, Bhubaneswar

Age

Approximate date

10th/11th century A.D.

Source of Information

Architectural features like trianga bada and fourfold pabhaga mouldings, kani being absent.

Property Type

Precinct/ Building/ Structure/Landscape/Site/Tank

Precinct

Subtype

Temple.

Typology

Vimana is in rekha deul whereas jagamohana is of pidha deul.

Property use

Abandoned/ in use

In use.

Present use

Living temple.

Past use

Worshipped.

Significance

Cultural significance

Rituals like Sivaratri, Sankranti and Mahavishuva- Sankranti are celebrated.

Physical description

Surrounding

Within the precinct the temple is surrounded by Markandesvara temple in the east at a distance of 1.60 metres, Nilakantha Siva temple in north within a distance of 15 metres and the compound wall in the western and southern sides.

Orientation

The temple is facing towards west.

Architectural features (Plan & Elevation)

On plan, the temple has a vimana and a jagamohana. The vimana is pancharatha having a central raha distinguished by pairs of 253 anuratha and kanika paga on either side of the raha. The vimana measures 4.40 square metres and jagamohana measures 6.20 square metres. On elevation, the vimana is of rekha order and jagamohana is in pidha order as usual in Orissan temples, having bada, gandi and mastaka. With threefold division of the bada of the vimana has a trianga bada measuring 3.18 metres in height. At the bottom, the pabhaga has four base mouldings of khura, kumbha, pata and basanta that measures 0.84 metres in height, Jangha measures 1.57 metres in height and baranda measuring 0.77 metres with a thick of has three mouldings. The gandi and mastaka measures 4.00 metres and 2.00 metres in height respectively. The bada of Jagamohana measures 2.30 metres having trianga bada. Pabhaga, jangha and baranda measures 0.71 metres, 1.09 metres, and 0.50 metres in height respectively. The gandi and mastaka of the jagamohana measures 2.50 metres and 1.20 metres.

Raha niche and parsva devatas

Parsvadevata niches located on the raha paga of the jangha on the three sides of north, south and east measuring 0.94 metres in height, 0.66 metres in width and 0.31 metres in depth are empty except the northern niche that enshrines a beautiful standing image of Parvati with broken hands.

Decorative features

Beneath the raha niche has tala garbhika decoration and in the western rahapaga there is a gajakranta at the center of the gandi. Besides this the bada and gandi of the temple are devoid of decorations. Doorjamb: The doorjambs of vimana and jagamohana are decorated with three plain vertical bands. That measures 1.83 metres in height and 1.32 metres in width. At the base of the doorjambs, there are a dvarapala niches surmounted by chaitya motifs. The niches measuring 0.36 metres in height, 0.18 metres in width and a depth of 0.07 metres houses Saivite dvarapalas holding tridents in their right hands and their left hand is in varada mudra.

Lintel

In the lalatabimba, Gajalaxmi is seated in lalitasana over a lotus pedestal. The deity is holding lotus in her left hand and her right hand is in varadamudra. The architrave above the doorjamb is carved with the navagrahas but due to the renovation work the grahas like Ravi, Rahu and Ketu are concealed.

Building material

The temple is made of laterite stone.

Construction techniques

Dry masonry.

Style

Kalingan.

Special features, if any

Though the Yonipitha is usually circular here it is square, made of laterite.

State of preservation

Good/Fair/ Showing Signs of Deterioration/Advanced

Good because of the renovation work done by the Orissa State Archaeology under X and XI Finance Commission Award.

Condition description

Signs of distress

Growth of vegetation.

Repairs and Maintenance

The owner of the temple clears the surrounding vegetation after the rainy season.

Grade (A/B/C)

i) Architecture: B ii) Historic: C iii) Associational: C iv) Social/Cultural: B v) Others: —

Well

There is a well in the center of the Kharakhia Baidyanath temple precinct, it is made of laterite blocks and it is located at a distance of 9.40 metres north of the temple.

Threats to the property

Conservation Problem and Remedies

Growth of Vegetation: Creepers in the beki of jagamohana and a pipal tree on the amlaka stone. The whole temple is covered with lichens. There is a compound wall made of laterite blocks measuring 53 square metres and 2.25 metres in height with the thickness of 0.84 metres. Detached and loose sculptures: In the northern side of the vimana, there is an image of Siva.

References

• Dr. Sadasiba Pradhan & Team, dated on 15 November 2006, Debala Mitra, ‘Bhubaneswar’ New Delhi, 1958, p. 29.
• K.C. Panigrahi, Archaeological Remains at Bhubaneswar, Calcutta, 1961. PP. 16–17 and 25.
• L. S.S. O’ Malley, Bengal District Gazetteer Puri, Calcutta 1908, P. 240.
• M.M. Ganguly, Orissa and Her remains, Calcutta, 1912, PP. 393–394.
• P.R. Ramachandra Rao, Bhubaneswar Kalinga Temple Architecture, Hyderabad, 1980, P. 29.
• R.P. Mohapatra, ‘Archaeology in Orissa’. Vol. I, Delhi, 1986. P. 57.
• R.L. Mitra. The Antiauities of Orissa, Vol.II, Calcutta, 1963, PP. 160–161.
• T.E. Donaldson, ‘Hindu Temple Art of Orissa’. Vol. I, Leiden, 1985, P. 76.

External links

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