Suka Temple is abandoned and not in use. The temple is devoted to saptaratha and the presence of female counterparts of the dikpalas in the upara jangha. This was built in the matured phase of temple building tradition 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...

.

Location

i) Approach: Suka temple is located in the Sankarananda Street, Uttaradaraja Badu Sahi, Old Town, 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...

. It is situated on the southern embankment of Bindusagar tank at a distance of 50.00
metres. The temple is facing towards west. The temple is not
in use but sculptural embellishments on the exterior walls
of the temple suggest that the temple was originally
dedicated to Lord Siva. Though the temple is architecturally
and sculpturally sound, it is abandoned and not in use. The
temple is 1.80 metres below the present ground level. Local
people are using the monument as a toilet.

Age

i)Precise date: 13th century A.D.

ii) Approximate date: Ganga rule

iii) Source of Information: The temple is saptaratha and the presence of female
counterparts of the dikpalas in the upara jangha.

Property Type

i) Precinct/ Building/ Structure/Landscape/Site/Tank: Building

ii) Subtype: Temple

iii) Typology: Rekha deul

Physical description

i) Surrounding: The temple is surrounded by Bhabanisankara temple in
east at a distance of 50 metres, Sankarananda Street in the right side of the compound wall,
Sari deul in north and residential buildings in the south.

ii) Orientation: The temple is facing towards west.

iii) Architectural features (Plan & Elevation): On plan, the temple has a vimana and a
renovated frontal porch. The vimana is saptaratha having a central raha which is flanked bypairs of anuraha, anuratha and kanika pagas on either sides. The vimana measures 5.80
square metres and the frontal porch measures 0.90 metres in length. The cella measures 2.40
square metres. On elevation, the vimana is in rekha order that measures 11 metres in height from
bottom to the top. With fivefold divisions, the bada measures 3.50 metres. At the base the
pabhaga, measuring 0.87 metres in height has five base mouldings of khura, kumbha, pata,
kani and basanta. Tala jangha and upara jangha measure 0.72 metres each is being separated
by three moulded bandhana measuring 0.32 metres. The baranda comprising ten mouldings
measures 0.87 metres. The gandi and mastaka measures 5.00 metres and 2.50 meters
respectively.

Raha niche & Parsva devatas

As usual in the temples of mature phase, raha
niches are located in the tala jangha on three sides, which are now empty. The empty niches
measure 0.90 metres in height x 0.45 metres in width and 0.23 metres in depth

Decorative features

At the base of the gandi, there is a bigger rekha
angasikhara whose mastaka is almost touching to the udyota simha in the raha paga. The
gandi is decorated with chaitya motifs and scroll designs. In conjunction between Raha and
anuratha paga, lotus designs are found in succession from baranda to beki. The temple is
ten storied as distinguished by the ten bhumi-amlas in the kanika paga. Each bhumi has
four bhumi barandis. Khura is decorated with stylized chaitya motifs and the other four
mouldings of pabhaga are carved with scroll works. Beneath the raha niche tala garbhika of
khakhara design are found which is flanked by naga-nagi pilasters on either sides. The raha
niches are decorated with floral designs and two female figures on either sides of the niche.
In the lintel niche, Gaja-lakshmi is seated in lalitasana. Architrave of the niche is decorated
with a series of ducks. The raha niche is surmounted by a khakahra mundi which is decorated
with series of elephants and scroll works. Kalasa above the khakhara mundi is crowned by
a Gajakranta. Gandi is decorated with tiers and scroll work design. Tala jangha and upara
jangha are decorated in the mundi niches. Bandhana has three mouldings and is decorated
with scroll works and jali motifs. Gaja vyalas are found in the paga conjunctions of tala jangha.
While in the tala jangha dikpalas are found on their respective mounts and attributes in the
uppara jangha their female counter parts are depicted with usual iconographic features.
Jagrata motifs are also found in the conjunction of vimana and frontal porch. In the beki, bekibhairavas
are found right above the raha and do-pichha lions in the corners.
Door Jamb: The door jambs measuring 2.00 metres x 1.45 metres have three
vertical bands of puspa sakha, nara sakha and lata sakha from exterior to interior. At the
lalatabimba, gaja-lakshmi is seated on padmasana. The dvarapala niches at the base of
the jambs measuring 0.35 metres x 0.16 metres house Saivite dvarapalas holding trident in their
left hand and right hand in varada mudra.
Lintel: The architrave above the doorjambs measuring 2.13 metres
in length is carved with the navagrahas. Ravi is holding lotus in his both hands, Rahu holding
half moon and Ketu in serpent tail.

State of preservation

i) Good/Fair/ Showing Signs of Deterioration/Advanced: Good

ii) State of Decay/Danger of Disappearance:
Growth of vegetation on the outer walls of the temple.

Condition description

i) Signs of distress: Human vandalism by converting the monument into
public toilet. Udyota simha on raha pagas are damaged. The tala garbhika of the eastern
wall is chopped off.

ii) Structural problems: —

iii) Repairs and Maintenance: Repaired by the Orissa State Archaeology under X & XI
Finance Commission Award.

Grade (A/B/C)

i) Architecture: A

ii) Historic: C

iii) Associational: C

iv) Social/Cultural: C

Threats to the property

Growth of vegetation in both the superstructure and its
surroundings. Human vandalism by converting the cultural property to a public toilet distracts
the attention of visitors and consequent care of the monument. Awareness need to be created
among the locals by inculcating a sense of respect and concern for the heritage.
Compound wall: The compound walls of the neighbouring house and the
compound wall of Sari deul enclose the temple.
Detached and loose sculptures: There is a temple fragment in front of the vimana,
which is decorated with scrollwork.