Parsurameswar Temple
Encyclopedia
Parsurameswar Temple, located in Bhubaneshwar, Orissa
, India
, is the best preserved specimen of an early Hindu
temple datable to the Sailodbhava period of the seventh and eighth centuries AD. and is the finest testimonial to the architectural work of Vishwakarma Moharana sculptors Parsurameswar is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one of the oldest temples in Orissa
. This temple, built about 650 AD, has all the main features of the pre-10th century Orissan style of architecture. Such elements such as the pine
spire
that curves up to a point over the sanctum housing the presiding deity, and the pyramid-covered hall where people sit and pray. Though small in size, with its deul rising abruptly to a height of 12.80m, it is one of the most sumptuously decorated temples of the early period. It is the only temple of the early period with a surviving Jagamohana.
s(ghosts) on the pilasters of its jagamohana and on the faces of its vimana
are true to their traditional description. The figures of nagas(male serpant) and nagin
s(female serpant) and other females show many graceful but chaste poses. Journey on pilgrimage is the theme of many a scene on its vimana
. Among other descriptive representations on it is the hunting scene above the central niche on south, where stag upon stag a bow thrown in is shown in the act of running away from bowman. On the outermost frame around the latticed window of its jaganamohana are carved the well known delightful scenes of monkeys playing all manners of pranks. The temple shows architectural peculiarities of the early order providing an opportunity to study the early form of the Jagamohana. Temple has no proper plinth, faces west and comprises a Vimana and Jagamohana. The vimana of the temple is a triratha with a distant semblance of a Panchratha as evident from the projecting nichesflanking the central projection. The bada of the Vimana abruptly starts from the Talapatna or Pavement which consists of three elements only instead of the usual five and encloses not the usual cubic garbhagriha but one that is parallelopiped.
covers the windows. In the temple courtyard there are more exotic carvings of Ganesha
, the elephant God, and other deities.
On a corner of the temple compound is the exotically unique "Lingam
of one thousand Lingas" shiva
phallic symbol with 1,000 lingas engraved on it.
Other interesting carvings are those of Shiva throwing down king "Ravana
," who is trying to uproot Mount Kailasa, the resting place of Lord Shiva.
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...
, is the best preserved specimen of an early Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
temple datable to the Sailodbhava period of the seventh and eighth centuries AD. and is the finest testimonial to the architectural work of Vishwakarma Moharana sculptors Parsurameswar is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one of the oldest temples in 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...
. This temple, built about 650 AD, has all the main features of the pre-10th century Orissan style of architecture. Such elements such as the pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
that curves up to a point over the sanctum housing the presiding deity, and the pyramid-covered hall where people sit and pray. Though small in size, with its deul rising abruptly to a height of 12.80m, it is one of the most sumptuously decorated temples of the early period. It is the only temple of the early period with a surviving Jagamohana.
Architectural
The grotesque figures of vetalaVetala
A vetala is a ghost-like being from Hindu mythology. The vetala are defined as spirits inhabiting corpses and charnel grounds...
s(ghosts) on the pilasters of its jagamohana and on the faces of its vimana
Vimana
Vimāna is a word with several meanings ranging from temple or palace to mythological flying machines described in Sanskrit epics.-Etymology and usage:Sanskrit vi-māna literally means "measuring out, traversing" or "having been measured out"...
are true to their traditional description. The figures of nagas(male serpant) and nagin
Nagin
-Entertainment:*Nagin , a Bollywood film*Nagin , a Bollywood film*Nagina , a Bollywood film*Nagin , a Jennifer Lynch film*Naaginn, a television series on Zee TV -Disease:...
s(female serpant) and other females show many graceful but chaste poses. Journey on pilgrimage is the theme of many a scene on its vimana
Vimana
Vimāna is a word with several meanings ranging from temple or palace to mythological flying machines described in Sanskrit epics.-Etymology and usage:Sanskrit vi-māna literally means "measuring out, traversing" or "having been measured out"...
. Among other descriptive representations on it is the hunting scene above the central niche on south, where stag upon stag a bow thrown in is shown in the act of running away from bowman. On the outermost frame around the latticed window of its jaganamohana are carved the well known delightful scenes of monkeys playing all manners of pranks. The temple shows architectural peculiarities of the early order providing an opportunity to study the early form of the Jagamohana. Temple has no proper plinth, faces west and comprises a Vimana and Jagamohana. The vimana of the temple is a triratha with a distant semblance of a Panchratha as evident from the projecting nichesflanking the central projection. The bada of the Vimana abruptly starts from the Talapatna or Pavement which consists of three elements only instead of the usual five and encloses not the usual cubic garbhagriha but one that is parallelopiped.
Sculptural Arrangement
The sculptures of Parasuramesvar temple have an elegance and chastness rarely to be seen in purely Orissan style. The temple is not so elaborately carved but the sculptures with the balanced arrangement have a charm and dignity of their own.As observed by, Dr. Ramesh Prasad Mohapatra. The lower portion of the bada of the Jagamohana contains with remarkable catholicity a host of deities of the Brahmanical pantheon, including among others, Siva, Surya, dancing Ardhanarisvara (composite form of Siva and Parvati), Siva-Parvati, Harihara, Yama, Varuna, Ganga Yamuna and Matrikas. Lakulisa in his characteristic pose, finds a place among the deities. The Matrikas seven in number, each with her characteristic attributes are preceded and followed respectively by the four armed Virabhadra and Ganesa, the latter presenting a unique feature in his having a human visage with the trunk of an elephant attached to the chin. For more info see Decorative Art of Parasuramesvar Temple by Dr. R. P. Mohapatra.Description
The temple is ornamented with a bas-relief of processions of horses and elephant. LatticeworkLatticework
Latticework is a framework consisting of a criss-crossed pattern of strips of building material, typically wood or metal. The design is created by crossing the strips to form a network...
covers the windows. In the temple courtyard there are more exotic carvings of Ganesha
Ganesha
Ganesha , also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh, also known as Ganapati , Vinayaka , and Pillaiyar , is one of the deities best-known and most widely worshipped in the Hindu pantheon. His image is found throughout India and Nepal. Hindu sects worship him regardless of affiliations...
, the elephant God, and other deities.
On a corner of the temple compound is the exotically unique "Lingam
Lingam
The Lingam is a representation of the Hindu deity Shiva used for worship in temples....
of one thousand Lingas" shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
phallic symbol with 1,000 lingas engraved on it.
Other interesting carvings are those of Shiva throwing down king "Ravana
Ravana
' is the primary antagonist character of the Hindu legend, the Ramayana; who is the great king of Lanka. In the classic text, he is mainly depicted negatively, kidnapping Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister...
," who is trying to uproot Mount Kailasa, the resting place of Lord Shiva.