Architecture of Shri Jagannath Temple - 3

The present Natamandir appears to be a relatively later structure standing on sixteen pillars. Rajendralal Mitra feels that it was originally a structure on eight pillars and subsequently it has been expanded with addition of eight more pillars, Consolidation Student Loan. Its roof is flat consisting of four layers of stone slabs. The hall is presently used for offering of prayers. A monolithic pillar with the image of Garuda at the top stands towards the eastern part of the hall. The interior of the hall is well decorated with different types of stucco images and paintings. Scenes depicting the Kanchi -Kaveri expedition of Jagannath and Balabhadra and the ten incarnations of Visnu, with an image of Jagannath as the ninth incarnation are more striking. The hall has two main gates, leading towards the north and the south besides two subsidiary openings.  

Scholars say that the Vimana and the Jagamohan of the temple were originally constructed by Anantavarma Chodaganga Deva and the other two halls were added later, buyer Structured Settlement. Rajendralal Mitra says that the Bhogamahdap was constructed during the Maratha rule of Orissa ( 18th century) by an architect named Bhaskar Pandit with an expenditure of about 40 lakh rupees in a period of 12 years, with the materials brought from the Sun-temple of Konark. He goes the extent of informing that the entire structure was dismantled at Konark, brought to Puri and reassembled in the present site. But Madala Panji ascribes  construction of Bhogamandap to Purusottama Deva. Donaldson opines that the Natamandir was constructed in the 13th century while the Bhogamandap in the 15th century A.D. by Purusottama Deva. The view is not acceptable, as Bhogamandap appears to have been constructed first, though there may not be a great difference in the period between the construction of these two structures. 

In fact, a standard Orissan temple consists of a Vimana and a J agamohana. In the words of Dr. Debala Mitra -II Architecturally, the temples resolve themselves into three broad orders, known to local terminology as Rekha, Pida and Khakhara. In a typical Orissa temple, the first two go almost side by side and form two component parts of one architectural scheme. So in Orissa the sanctum and the porch have almost become synonymous with the Rekha and Pidha temples respectively, although originally these names were meant to denote the particular type of the structure. Orissan architectural texts also recognize such identification as pointed out by N .K. Bose on the basis of some such texts prevalent in Orissa. It has been stated that the Rekha temple is the male and the Bhadra or Pidha, a female and the joint (Sandhisthala) is called Gainthala, a knot tied in the garments of the bride and bridegroom at the time of marriage.