The controversy over the destruction of ancient monuments (previously unknown 10th century
temples) around the 11th century Lingaraj Temple in Odisha’s capital Bhubaneswar amid a Statesponsored
redevelopment drive (Ekamra Kshetra Heritage Project), spiralled with the Indian National
Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) stating that irreparable damage had been done to the
temple and ancient shrines around it.
Analysis
• Suka-Sari temple complex (close to the Shree Lingaraj Temple) and Lord Lingaraj Temple in
Bhubaneswar are protected by the ASI under the Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites and
Remains Act, 1958.
o The Act states that a prohibited area comprises up to 100 metres in all directions from a protected
monument, while a regulated area comprises up to 200 metres around such monuments.
o Repairs, renovation and new constructions within 300 meters of the protected area are allowed
only in extraordinary cases after obtaining a no-objection certificate from the national monument
authority or state director of culture.
• “Municipal workers were removing encroachments as well as digging up the ground to level and
beautify it. When we inspected the site, we saw some vital signs that signified the presence of ancient
structures in and around the Suka-Sari temples.”
• These recent findings now have the archaeologists believing that the Suka-Sari temple complex could
have been built in the Panchayatana style, where the main temple is surrounded by four sub-shrines.
Lingaraj TempleLingaraja Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva.
• The 55-metre-tall temple is known as ‘Ekamravan Kshetra’ in Bhubaneswar.
• One typical form of the North Indian style is seen in the early temples at Orissa, such as the graceful
8th-century Parashurameshvara Temple at Bhubaneshwar, a city that was a great centre of templebuilding
activity.
• From the 10th century a characteristic Oriya style developed that exhibited a greater elevation of the
wall and a more elaborate spire.
• The 11th-century Lingaraja Temple at Bhubaneshwar is an example of the Oriya style in its fullest
development.
• The Lingaraja Temple is built in the Deula style that has four components namely, vimana (structure
containing the sanctum), jagamohana (assembly hall), natamandira (festival hall) and bhogamandapa
(hall of offerings), each increasing in the height to its predecessor.o In the later temples of Orissa, including the Lingaraja, there are two additional shrines attached
along one axis - in front of the Jagamohana, a natamandapa, or a hall of dance and music, and
a bhogmandapa, a hall of offerings.
o As a matter of fact, the temple was a total work of art in which we have not only sculptures and
painting, but music, dancing and theatrical performance, making it a true civic centre for artistic
and cultural activities, somewhat like the modern community halls, which are places for social
and cultural gatherings.
The evolution of Orissan temple architecture
• Temples as free-standing structures came to Orissa after the Gupta period through Dakshina Kosala.
• The Hindu hegemony of Bhaumakaras, Somavamsis and Gangas inspired the Orissan architects to
carry on the spirit of creating their own style of architectural temple representations without any
Islamic or Persian influence.
o The period thus ranges from 6th century A.D. to 16th century A.D.
• The Indian temples in general are divided into three categories based on their geographical location
and peculiar features:
o The Northern Indian temples branded as Nagara Style of Architecture.
o The temples of Deccan belong to the Vesara style.
o The third category is called Dravida Style found in South India.
• The Orissan temple architecture ranging from 7th to 13th century A.D. however corresponds to an
altogether different category for their unique representations called Kalingan Style of temple
architecture.
• Though broadly they come under the Northern style or Nagara style, they have certain special features
which are unique of their own.
• The Orissan temples are of three types:
o Khakhara Deula
o Rekha Deula Pidha or
o Bhadra Deula
• In the formative period of Orissan temple architecture there were only two structures of the temples.
o The first is original sanctum or Vimana or Bada Deula.
o The second is Jagamohana or Mukhasala.
• The sanctum of the temple is of Rekha order which has a curvilinear superstructure. But the
Jagamohana standing before the main structure is of Pidha order.
o The Pidhas form several tiers sitting one upon the other rising to a pinnacle.• With the march of time the Oriya architects began to invent new forms of structure. Thus, in big
temples we find four structures –
o Vimana or Bada Deula
o Jagamohana or Mukhasala or Hall of Audiences
o Nata Mandira or Festive Hall
o Bhoga Mandapa or the Hall of Offerings
• The constructive peculiarities of Orissan temple are marked by uniqueness. The architects perceived
the temple in the form of a human male figure or Purusha. Like human physical divisions of leg,
thigh, waist, chest, neck and head, the temple had similar shapes and structures.
• The main temple of Orissa is always of Rekha designs with these special features.
o From the ground Vimana rises vertically to a height and then the temple slowly inclines inward is
a curvilinear design up to the Beki or neck.
o Above the Beki is the portion called Mastaka or crown which consists of the Amlaka, inverted
Kalasa and Dhvaja.
o Finally comes the mark of the deity - trident or trishul in case of a Siva temple and a discuss or
Chakra in case of a Vishnu temple.
o The crown portion is called Khapuri or stone cap resembling an unfolded umbrella.
o Over the Ayudha there may be a flag as auspicious mark. Thus, a temple is represented as a
Purusha.
• The two areas where temple architecture developed most markedly were the Deccan and Orissa and in
both these areas the northern and southern style temples can be found side by side.
• The Vimana, the temple tower over the main shrine in Orissa is one of the most glorious inventions of
architecture in India and is functionally a much finer conception than the south
Indian Gopuram, where the barrel-shaped tower does not crown the sanctum sanctorum or the garbhagriha
but is a glorified entrance gate.o The architect wanted to impart to the temple more importance, prominence than the other
buildings in the neighbourhood, because here lived his God in the garbha griha or the wombhouse.
o The Orissan spire does precisely this, proclaiming the presence of God far and wide, from its
lofty and imposing structure as at the Jagannath temple at Puri or the Lingaraja at Bhubaneswar.
• Lingaraj temple of Bhubaneswar marked the culmination of the evolution of Orissan temple
architecture.
o Exactly a century later started the construction of Jagannath temple with the final product of
Orissan architects - that was the temple of Konark.