Ananta Vasudeva Temple
Encyclopedia
Ananta Vasudeva Temple is a Hindu temple
dedicated to Lord Krishna, an avatar
of Lord Vishnu located in Bhubaneswar
, the state capital of Orissa
, India
. The temple was constructed in the thirteenth century, and the complete murties of Krishna
, Balarama
and Subhadra
are worshipped there. Balarama
stands under a seven hooded serpent, while Krishna
holds a mace, chakra
and a conch
. The temple dates back to the period of Chandrika Devi, the daughter of Anangabhima III
, during the reign of the king Bhanudeva.
was worshipped on the spot where the great temple of Ananta Vasudeva was built in the 13th century A.D. There must have been an old temple where this Vishnu
image was installed. The Marathas, who extended their empire up to river Mahanadi
, were responsible for constructing the Vishnu
temple at Bhubaneswar
. Thus in 13th century, Chandrika was prompted to construct a new temple - the temple of Anata Vasudeva in this place.
, but includes vaishnavite(Lord Vishnu related) sculptures. The temple has longitudinal bands of miniature shikaras(shrines), exactly like those in Lingaraj temple
, with the minor difference that the number of the shikaras forming one longitudinal band in its case is only three. The sculpture in the exterior walls varies in character in each temple in Bhubaneswar
. Most of the female sculptures in the temple walls are overly ornamanted and lack originality
(sanctum sanctorum) of the temple have complete structure unlike the images of the Jagannath Temple, Puri. Here the shrimurties(idols) are made of black granite stone,rather than wood,as seen in the Puri
temple. For this temple only the city gains its name as Chakra
kshetra(circular place), whereas Puri
is named Shankha
kshetra(curved place).
Hindu temple
A Mandir, Devalayam, Devasthanam, or a Hindu temple is a place of worship for followers of Hinduism...
dedicated to Lord Krishna, an avatar
Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
of Lord Vishnu located in Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar is the capital of the Indian state of Orissa, officially Odisha. The city has a long history of over 2000 years starting with Chedi dynasty who had Sisupalgarh near present-day Bhubaneswar as their capital...
, the state capital of Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The temple was constructed in the thirteenth century, and the complete murties of Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
, Balarama
Balarama
Balarama , also known as Baladeva, Balabhadra and Halayudha, is the elder brother of the divine being, Krishna in Hinduism. Within Vaishnavism Hindu traditions Balarama is worshipped as an Avatar of Vishnu, and he is also listed as such in the Bhagavata Purana...
and Subhadra
Subhadra
Image:Jagannath, Baladev and Subadra in Radhadesh.jpg|thumb|right|250px|alt=|Subhadra, flanked by her brothers Balarama and Jagannatha . Deities of the Radhadesh temple in Belgium...
are worshipped there. Balarama
Shesha
In Hindu tradition, Shesha or Sheshanaag is the king of all nagas, one of the primal beings of creation, and according to the Bhagavata Purana, an Avatar of the Supreme God known as Sankarshan. In the Puranas, Shesha is said to hold all the planets of the Universe on his hoods and to constantly...
stands under a seven hooded serpent, while Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
holds a mace, chakra
Chakra
Chakra is a concept originating in Hindu texts, featured in tantric and yogic traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. Its name derives from the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "turning" .Chakra is a concept referring to wheel-like vortices...
and a conch
Conch
A conch is a common name which is applied to a number of different species of medium-sized to large sea snails or their shells, generally those which are large and have a high spire and a siphonal canal....
. The temple dates back to the period of Chandrika Devi, the daughter of Anangabhima III
Anangabhima III
Anangabhima III was a ruler of the Ganga Dynasty, which was located in India. His father, Ajaraja IIIbecame the ruler of the Dynasty in 1198, and was overrun by the Muslims of Bengal, who invaded Orissa in 1206 . When Anangabhima III came into power, he expelled the Muslims from his kingdom, and...
, during the reign of the king Bhanudeva.
Legend
It appears that the original image of VishnuVishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
was worshipped on the spot where the great temple of Ananta Vasudeva was built in the 13th century A.D. There must have been an old temple where this Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
image was installed. The Marathas, who extended their empire up to river Mahanadi
Mahanadi River
The Mahanadi in East Central India. It drains an area of around 141,600 km2 and has a total course of 858 km. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Orissa.-Source:...
, were responsible for constructing the Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
temple at Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar is the capital of the Indian state of Orissa, officially Odisha. The city has a long history of over 2000 years starting with Chedi dynasty who had Sisupalgarh near present-day Bhubaneswar as their capital...
. Thus in 13th century, Chandrika was prompted to construct a new temple - the temple of Anata Vasudeva in this place.
Architecture
In form, the temple resembles the Lingaraj templeLingaraj Temple
Lingaraj Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Harihara, another name for Shiva and is one of the oldest temples of Bhubaneswar, a revered pilgrimage center and the capital of the state of Orissa, India....
, but includes vaishnavite(Lord Vishnu related) sculptures. The temple has longitudinal bands of miniature shikaras(shrines), exactly like those in Lingaraj temple
Lingaraj Temple
Lingaraj Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Harihara, another name for Shiva and is one of the oldest temples of Bhubaneswar, a revered pilgrimage center and the capital of the state of Orissa, India....
, with the minor difference that the number of the shikaras forming one longitudinal band in its case is only three. The sculpture in the exterior walls varies in character in each temple in Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar is the capital of the Indian state of Orissa, officially Odisha. The city has a long history of over 2000 years starting with Chedi dynasty who had Sisupalgarh near present-day Bhubaneswar as their capital...
. Most of the female sculptures in the temple walls are overly ornamanted and lack originality
Difference From Jagannath Temple,Puri
The idols found in the garbhagruhaGarbhagriha
Garbhagriha or Garbha griha is the small unlit shrine of a Hindu temple.Garbhagriha or ' is a Sanskrit word meaning the interior of the sanctum sanctorum, the innermost sanctum of a Hindu temple where resides the murti of the primary deity of the temple...
(sanctum sanctorum) of the temple have complete structure unlike the images of the Jagannath Temple, Puri. Here the shrimurties(idols) are made of black granite stone,rather than wood,as seen in the Puri
Puri
Puri is district headquarter, a city situated about south of state capital Bhubaneswar, on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian state of Orissa. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple . It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimages...
temple. For this temple only the city gains its name as Chakra
Chakra
Chakra is a concept originating in Hindu texts, featured in tantric and yogic traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. Its name derives from the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "turning" .Chakra is a concept referring to wheel-like vortices...
kshetra(circular place), whereas Puri
Puri
Puri is district headquarter, a city situated about south of state capital Bhubaneswar, on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian state of Orissa. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple . It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimages...
is named Shankha
Shankha
Shankha bhasam , also spelled and pronounced as Shankh and Sankha, is a conch shell of ritual and religious importance in Hinduism and Buddhism. It is the shell of a large predatory sea snail,Turbinella pyrum found in the Indian Ocean....
kshetra(curved place).