The
programme of the Raha Paga is different, selling structured settlements. It contains large niches for the
Parsva-devatas on different sides. The southern niche contains the Varaha
incarnation, the northern niche houses the Trivikrama image and the western
niche shows the Nrsimha form of Vishnu. These three images are made of chloride
and are very exquisitely carved. While Varaha holds the goddess earth in his
upraised left arm and a club in his right hand, karrsimha is depicted in a
ferocious form. The latter is seen as taking out the entrails of Hiranyakasipu,
the demon king, with two of this hands, while his other two hands show his
usual attributes. In the image of Trivikrama of Vamana, the God is seen as
placing one of His feet set firmly on 28 Shri Jagannatha Culture the ground,
while the other stretches upwards. All the three images have trefoil-shaped
designs in the background.
In
front of each of the three images of side deities, small covered halls with a
Sikhara (tower) of Pidha order have been constructed, which are called Nisa
temples, phoenix dui lawyers. These structures are plain and sometimes cover the sculptural beauty
of the temple. The upper portions of the Parsva-devata niches depict Dopichha
lions (lions with one front and two hind portions), Naga-nagi pilasters, Kanyas
and one central image on each side, which is difficult to recognise due to
existence of the Nisa structure. The Gandi or the body of the temple proper,
consists of ten Bhumis or storeys. At the Kanika Paga of each Bhumi, there is a
Bhumi Amla connected with six Bhumi Barandis (courses of stone) and Chaitya medallions are seen carved on
them at intervals. The Anuraha Paga of each side is filled with three
Angasikharas, i.e., miniature Rekha replicas with rich carvings. In the Rah.a
Paga, however, there is .a large Vajramastaka at the base, which is a usual
feature with most of the Orissan temples. Above the Vajramastaka up to the
height of the Gandi, rows of Chaitya medallions with intermittent spaces appear
with five such medallions in each row in
the frontal Raha Paga (eastern side) there is a bigger Angasikhara at the
Sandhisthala (joint of Vimana and Jagamohana) surmounted with a projecting
Gajakranta, i.e, lion-on- elephant. Such Gajakrantas also appear on three other
sides in the Raha above the Vajramastaka. A smaller projecting lion also
appears on each side of the base of the Gandi.
The
Mastaka consists of the usual elements of Beki (neck), Amalaka (an Indian fruit
of the same name a little flattened), Khapuri (skull), Kalasa Uar) and Ayudha
(weapon, i.e, Cakra). In the Beki are inserted four figures of Dopichha lions
at each corner, while on the front sides there are images of Garuda. There are
nothing specific regarding the other elements of Mastaka, except that the
weapon is called Nilachakra, the shape of which is peculiar in Orissa as well
as its name.
The
interior of the Vimana is entirely plain. It is called sanctum sanctorum or
Garbhagruha and in the middle of the room there is Ratnasimhasana on which the
images of worship have been installed. The throne is about four feet high and
there is a path for circumambulating the throne. There is only one door leading
to Jagamohan.
The
temple was plastered with a thick coat of lime sometime in the l6th century
A.D. to protect its surface from decay caused by saline wind. Quoting some
temple records, Rajendralal Mitra says that the application of lime plaster was
done for the first time during the reign of Prataparudra Deva on both the
Vimana and J agamohana. Madala Panji records such plastering to have been done
in 1647 A.D. Thereafter successive plasters had been applied in 18th century for which, the temple
looked like' an ugly mass of stone and plaster' as observed by A. Sterling. The
famous exponent on Indian .architecture James Fergusson, being unable to find
detailed carvings on the body of the temple assumed that the art of Orissa had
received a total downward impetus which Rajendralal Mitra has efuted with very
strong arguments.
But
after the conservation of the temple has been handed over to the Archaeological
Survey of India in . 1975, removal of the plaster has been taken up and so far
deplastering the Vimana is almost completed, for which the above detailed
description of the sculptural art of Vimana could be made possible.
Deplastering of Jagamohana is yet to be taken up.
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