Odisha Review May - 2012

General introduction to
Odishan Temple
Architecture
Anjaliprava Sahoo

INTRODUCTION Sastras recognize three main styles of temple

architecture known as the Nagara, the Dravida
Temple is a ‘Place of Worship’. It is also called
and the Vesara.1
the ‘House of God’. Stella Kramrisch has defined
temple as ‘Monument of Manifestation’ in her NAGARA TEMPLE STYLE
book ‘The Hindu Temple’. The temple is one of Nagara types of temples are the typical
the prominent and enduring symbols of Indian Northern Indian temples with curvilinear sikhara-
culture: it is the most graphic expression of religious spire topped by amlakasila.2 This style was
fervour, metaphysical values and aesthetic developed during A.D. 5th century. The Nagara
aspiration. style is characterized by a beehive-shaped and
The idea of temple originated centuries multi-layered tower, called ‘Sikhara’. The layers
ago in the universal ancient conception of God in of this tower are topped by a large round cushion-
a human form, which required a habitation, a like element called ‘amlaka’. The plan is based
shelter and this requirement resulted in a structural on a square but the walls are sometimes so
shrine. India’s temple architecture is developed segmented, that the tower appears circular in
from the Sthapati’s and Silpi’s creativity. A small shape. Advancement in the architecture is found
Hindu temple consists of an inner sanctum, the in temples belonging to later periods, in which the
Garbha Griha or womb chamber; a small square central shaft is surrounded by many smaller
room with completely plain walls having a single
narrow doorway in the front, inside which the
image is housed and other chambers which are
varied from region to region according to the needs
of the rituals.
In various Silpa Sastras we find detailed
instructions for the construction of all types of
buildings and also rules of proportion for the
sculpting of different categories of images. It is
from these Silpa Sastras that we come to know
about the types of temples. The Indian Silpa

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May - 2012 Odisha Review

reproductions of itself, creating a visual effect of Odishan type.3 Because of its unique style it
a fountain. possesses a different temple style known as
DRAVIDA TEMPLE STYLE Kalingan School of Temple Architecture. This style
received due recognition when it was mentioned
Dravidian architecture is a style of in the Silpa texts and the inscriptions.4
architecture that emerged thousands of years ago
in the Indian subcontinent. They consist primarily The history of temple building activities
of pyramid shaped temples with cupola-formed in Odisha can be seen in a series of beautiful
sikharas. These temples are dependent on temples dating from about the 6th century to the
intricate carved stone in order to create a step 16th century. The various ruling dynasties of Odisha
design consisting of many statues of deities, from the Sailodbhavas to the Gajapatis devoted
warriors, kings and dancers. The majority of the themselves in erecting a number of religious shrines
existing buildings are located in the South Indian in their kingdoms for sheer display of the aesthetic
States. The earliest monuments of this school can sensibilities, religious mindedness and glorification
be seen at Mamallapuram and at Kanchipuram. of their reign.5 Bhubaneswar, the Temple City of
India has a cluster of five hundred temples, ranging
VESARA TEMPLE STYLE
over a period of nearly four centuries.6
Vesara type of temples contains elements
The Odishan temple style did not
of both Nagara and Dravida styles. This style is
represent a fixed type. But in spite of the stylistic
also described in some texts as the ‘Central Indian
change that distinguishes one phase from another,
Temple Architecture Style’ or ‘Deccan
we find a remarkable continuity in the
Architecture’. The trend was started by the
development of the style till it reaches the climax.
Chalukyas of Badami (500-753 A.D.) who built
We have decided the course of evolution of
temples in a style is that was essentially a mixture
temple architecture in to three phases – Formative
of the Nagara and the Dravida styles, further
Phase, Transitional Phase, and Mature Phase.
refined by the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta (750-
983 A.D.) in Ellora, Chalukyas of Kalyani (983- EVOLUTION OF ODISHAN TEMPLE
1195A.D.) in Lakkundi, Dambal, Gadag etc. and The temples evolved in Odisha consist
epitomized by the Hoysalas (1000-1330 A.D.). of two main parts – the sanctum and the frontal
This style mostly prevalent in the Deccan. The hall. The sanctum called vimana and the frontal
ground plan of the temples of this style is star- hall or the mukhasala called jagamohana. 7
shaped or polygonal. The temple consists of These two together make the temple a complete
shrine, anti-chamber and hall with aisles and whole. The two structures linked internally.
porch.
Externally the jagamohana is subordinate to the
ODISHAN TEMPLE STYLE main temple in height. There is a traditional belief
Odisha possesses the most remarkable among the craftsmen of Odisha that the main
Northern temples. To a certain extent they temple is the bridegroom and the jagamohana
represent a pure form of the original Nagara style. is the bride. In course of time, to meet the growing
They can be divided into two groups, namely the needs of the rituals, two more structures, the
early form of Nagara temples and the later natamandira and bhogamandapa, were added.
evolution of the same in the fully developed Each is a separate structure but integrated to form

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an effective and harmonious architectural of the temple are named after limbs of the body.
organization.8 Just as the different parts of a human body are
PLAN AND ELEVATION organically related to each other, so the different
divisions of the temple bear vital relationship with
The Odishan temple is remarkable in its each other and are integrated into an artistic
plan and elevation. The interior ground plan of composition.12
the temple is square, but externally, because of
projections, the temple appears to show a The cella where the presiding deity is
cruciform plan. The Odishan temples are enshrined - conceived as the womb of the Cosmic
distinguished by vertical projections called the Being and thus called Garbhagriha. Like the womb
rathakas or pagas. Depending on the number it is intensely dark. The dim light of the earthen
of the pagas, the temples are classified into tri- lamp along with the fragrance of the flowers,
ratha, pancha-ratha, sapta-ratha, and nava-ratha.9 incense; it creates an atmosphere of solemnity
where a devotee can fix his mind in meditating his
TYPES OF TEMPLES FOUND IN ODISHA
beloved God.13
Odisha is famous for temple architecture
PISTA
and with varieties of temples presents the Kalingan
School of Architecture in its well-developed The Pista is not a compulsory feature. This
forms.10 According to Silpa Sastras, there are three is generally found in temples erected in the Ganga
different types of temples in the Kalingan School. epoch. 14
These are ‘Rekha’, ‘Bhadra’ or ‘Pidha’ and
BADA
‘Khakhara’.
The constituent elements of the Bada are
The sanctum of the temple is either rekha
pabhaga, jangha, and baranda. This type of
or a khakhara type deula. Similarly, the
trianga bada is found in temples belonging to the
mukhasala is either a flat-roofed rectangular hall
or square hall with the roof arranged in pidhas. earlier phase of the style. In later temples, the
Majority of the sanctums are of rekha type and bada is composed of five elements; pabhaga,
whereas the khakhara type is limited to a few tala jangha, bandhana, upara jangha, and
Sakta temples. The mukhasalas of the temples baranda. The pabhaga denotes the bottom part
of formative phase are flat-roofed rectangular of the wall and is composed of mouldings called
halls while in later period, the pidha deulas were khura, kumbha, pata, kani and basanta. The
introduced.11 baranda forming the topmost part of the bada is
composed of a series of seven or ten mouldings.15
REKHA TEMPLE
GANDI
The rekha temple or the vimana is
characterized by a curvilinear superstructure. It The Gandi of the rekha deula inclines
can be divided into four parts. The four divisions inward in a convex curve, this being more
are pista, bada, gandi and sira or mastaka. pronounced towards the top in later temples. It is
From the bottom to the finial, each part of the divided into several pagas by the continuation of
temple has a separate name. The Odishan the projections of the bada.16 In a temple of Tri-
craftsmen considered the temple as the body of ratha plan, we find two types of pagas. The central
the Cosmic Being. Therefore, the different parts projection or paga is known as Raha-paga having

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May - 2012 Odisha Review

two projections known as Kanika-pagas on both form of a pyramid. The pidhas rapidly decrease
sides. These Triratha temples generally belong to in size from bottom upwards. The diminution
the formative phase. With the evolution, Triratha proceeds until the topmost pidha is half in size to
pattern changed to Pancha-ratha pattern having the lower most one. The pidhas may be arranged
two are more pagas. The new pagas are known in one or two tiers, with moderate height of vertical
as Anuratha-pagas which is placed in between wall intervening between them. Each of these tiers
Raha-paga and Kanika-paga. In a Sapta-ratha is called a potala. The cross-section at any point
temple, another two pagas added in between of the gandi is square. Above the gandi comes
Anuratha and Kanika known as Anuraha. In the mastaka, composed of several elements
Navaratha temples, Pariraha pagas added on which are circular in cross-section. First comes
either side in between the Anuraha and Kanika the beki, then the ghanta, an enormous ribbed
pagas. Kanika pagas are further subdivided in to structure shaped like a bell. On the top of the
a number of horizontal sections or storeys (bhumi) ghanta is a succession of beki, amla, khapuri
by the miniature amla (ribbed disc resembling the and kalasa as in the Rekha.24
amlaka fruit), called bhumi amla.17 Sometimes the
KHAKHARA TEMPLE
gandi is decorated with anga-sikharas. The
central raha is relieved with a prominent chaitya- The Khakhara temple is very unique in
window design. 18 The gandi ends with the its style. This type is very limited in Odisha. This
bisama, the topmost course, with or without paga is exclusively meant for the Sakti worship. The
divisions scaling the spire.19 gandi of the khakhara is composed either like
that of a rekha or of a pidha with certain minor
MASTAKA
differences.25 The plan of the deula is oblong, and
The Mastaka of the Deula consists of the its mastaka is distinguished by its barrel vaulted
beki, the amla, the khapuri, the kalasa and the elongated roof called khakhara by the treatisers
ayudha. The beki separates the square gandi from due to its faint resemblance to kakharu or voita
the circular crowning elements. The amla in the kakharu. Over the khakhara are placed either
case of later temples is supported by miniature amlas or kalasa flanked by lions.26
dopichhalions at the corners and figures of
The khakhara type is limited to six
Vimanapalas placed on the centre of the raha.20
examples in Bhubaneswar, but miniatures of this
Above the amla comes the khapuri or the skull,
type were very extensively employed as a
and on it is placed the kalasa or water-pot and
decorative motif on the body of Rekha or Pidha
ayudha or the weapon of the deity to whom the
temple21 is dedicated. The dhvaja or banner is temples and the type has a wider distribution.27
placed at the pinnacle of the temple.22 Except these three types of temples, we
PIDHA TEMPLE also find another two types of temples known as
Gauriya temple and Hypaethral temple in Odisha.
There is no difference between Rekha
temple and Pidha temple in the treatment of the GAURIYA TEMPLE
bada, but they differ in the disposition of the Gauriya type originated in Eastern India
gandi. The gandi of the jagamohana is of as a result of the impact of the west in the sphere
pyramidal shape.23 It is composed of a number of Indian Architectural activities. It is said to be
of pidhas or horizontal platforms, piled up in the the combination of the Gothic style and the Indo-

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Aryan style of architecture. There are a few 6. Ibid

Gauriya temples in the district of Mayurbhanj and 7. A.N. Parida; op.cit; p.25.
there are only two examples of this type of temples 8. K.S. Behera; op.cit; p.3.
in the town of Puri; one beside the Markandeya
9. Ibid; pp.3-4.
10. N. Senapati (Ed.); Orissa District Gazetteers; Puri;
1977; p.70.
11. A.N. Parida; op. cit.; p.25.
12. K.S. Behera; op. cit.; p.4.
13. A.N. Parida; op.cit; p.26.
14. K.S. Behera; op. cit.; p.4.
15. Ibid; pp.4-5.
16. R.P. Mohapatra; “Traditions in Architecture” in
Orissa Sahitya Akademi (Ed.); Art Traditions in
Orissa; 1988; p.15.
17. Ibid.
tank and the other at the gateway of Uttara Parsva 18. K.S. Behera; op.cit; p.5.
monastery. 28 19. Orissa Sahitya Akademi (Ed.); op.cit; p.16.
HYPAETHRAL TEMPLE 20. K.S. Behera; op.cit; p.5.
Hypaethral temple is a circular temple in 21. N.Senapati (Ed.); op.cit; p.70.
the ground plan without the roof belonging to the 22. K.S.Behera; op.cit; p.6.
Sixty-four yoginis placed in the wall of innerside.29 23. Ibid; p.5.
Of the extant Yogini temples, four are located in
the Gwalior-Bundelkhand region (the ones at 24. N.K. Bose; Canons of Orissan Architecture; 1932;
p.78 & N. Senapati (Ed.); op.cit; p.70.
Khajuraho, at Bheraghat near Jabalpur, at Mitauli
near Gwalior and at Dudhai near Lalitpua), while 25. N.Senapati (Ed.); op.cit; p.71.
other two are in Odisha (the ones at Hirapur near 26. Orissa Sahitya Akademi (Ed.); op.cit; pp.16-17.
Bhubaneswar and at Ranipr-Jharial in Bolangir 27. N.K. Bose; op.cit; p.70.
disrict).30 28. N.K. Bose; op.cit; p.78.
References : 29. P. Acharya; op.cit; p.386.
1. P. Acharya; Studies in Orissan History, 30. F. Brighenti; Sakti Cult in Orissa; 2001; p.298.
Archaeology and Archives; 1969; P.386.
2. M.A Dhaky; The Indian Temple Forms; 1977; P.7.
3. E. Tomory; A History of Fine Arts in India and The
West; 2004; p.91. Anjaliprava Sahoo, M.phil Student, Department of
4. A.N. Parida; Early Temples of Orissa; 1999; p.25. Ancient Indian History, Culture & Archaeology,
Plot No. 164, 1st Lane, Paika Nagar, Near Delta Chowk,
5. K.S. Behera; Temples of Orissa; 1993; p.1. Unit- 8, Bhubaneswar-3.

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