Sundaresvara Siva Temple
Encyclopedia
Sundaresvara Siva temple is located in village Sundarpada, Old Town, Bhubaneswar
. It is on the right side of the road leading from Lingaraj temple
to Sundarpada. The enshrined deity is a circular yonipitha facing towards the north. The Siva lingam is absent. There are two entrances on the south-west and northwest corners provided with seven flights of steps leading down to the temple.
Siva temples is located in village Sundarpada, Old
Town, Bhubaneswar
. It is on the right side of the road
leading from Lingaraja temple to Sundarpada. The
enshrined deity is a circular yonipitha facing towards
the north. The Siva lingam is absent. The temple
precinct is 1.15 metres below the present road level.
There are two entrances on the south-west and northwest
corners provided with seven flights of steps
leading down to the temple.
local tradition the village is named after the enshrined
deity Sundaresvara. Since the environment of the
village was beautiful the enshrined deity of the village
temple was named as Sundaresvara. Similarly the tank
adjoining the temple was named as Sundresvara tank.
Another tradition held that the temple in the village was
dedicated to Sundaresvara, the royal preceptor of lord
Lingaraja. Hence the deity is Sundaresvara and the
name of the village is Sundarapada.
ii) Public/Private: Public
iii) Any other (specify): The temple is under the Endowment Department and looked
after by Sri Sri Dadhivamana Sundaresvara Mahadeva Trust Board having eleven members.
Pralipta Kumar Nanda is the Managing Trustee.
iv) Name: Sri Sri Sundaresvara Mahadeva Trust Board
v) Address: Sundarpada, Old Town, Bhubaneswar.
ii) Approximate date: 13th Century A.D.
iii) Source of Information: Architectural features and building materials.
ii) Subtype: Temple
iii) Typology: Rekha deul
ii) Present use: Living temple
iii) Past use: Worshipped
(Somavamsis) in general and Yajati-I the builder of the Lingaraja temple in particular.
ii) Cultural significance: Rituals like Sivaratri, Sankranti Kartika Purnima, Dola
Purnima and Jalabhiseka are observed.
iii) Social significance: Marriage and thread ceremony, etc. are observed.
iv) Associational significance: Sri Dadhivamana Sundaresvara Mahadeva Trustee Board.
east, west, south and the kitchen in north. And beyond the compound wall it is surrounded by
the road in east, Dadhivamana and Gokhi Baba temples in west, residential buildings in
north and Sundaresvara tank in the south across the road.
ii) Orientation: Facing towards West.
iii) Architectural features (Plan & Elevation): The temple stands on a low and rectangular
platform measuring 8.45 metres in length x 4.85 metres in width, with a height of 0.15 metres. On
plan, the temple has a vimana, ganthiala and a jagamohana. The vimana measures 3.10
square metres and jagamohana measures 5.15 metres in length and 4.65 metres in breadth. The
ganthiala measures 0.50 metres in length. On elevation, the temple has a rekha vimana and
pidha jagamohana measuring 5.26 metres and 4.33 metres in height respectively from pabhaga
to kalasa. With the threefold divisions of bada the Vimana has a trianga bada measuring
1.81 metres in height (pabhaga 0.49 metres, jangha 1.00 metres, and baranda 0.32 metres). The
gandi measures 2.25 metres and mastaka 1.20 metres in height respectively. With threefold
division of bada, the jagamohana measures 1.53 metres in height (pabhaga-0.29 metres, jangha-
0.69 metres, and baranda-0.55 metres). The gandi of jagamohana with five receding tiers
measures 1.30 metres. The mastaka measures 1.50 metres has components like beki, amalaka,
khapuri and kalasa.
and east measures 0.45 metres in height x 030 metres in width and with a depth of 0.12 metres. The
eastern raha niche houses a four armed Kartikeya standing over a lotus pedestal. The deity
holds a cock in lower left hand whose legs are resting over the right uplifted hand of a female
attendant. The lower right hand is touching the beak of his mount peacock. The deity holds a
cattle drum (dambaru) in his upper left and a trident in upper right hand. His head is crowned
with jatamukuta. The northern raha niche houses a four armed Parvati holding ankusa in her
upper left, nagapasa in upper right, mace in lower left and a rosary in lower right hand. The
southern raha niche houses a four armed Ganesa holding a modakapatra in lower left,
nagapasa in upper left, broken tooth in lower right and a rosary in upper right hand. The deity
is seated over a lotus pedestal.
bands and measures 1.40 metres in height and 0.87 metres in width. In the lalatabimba Gajalaxmi
is seated over a lotus pedestal and holding lotus in her both hands.
Lintel: In the architrave above the doorjambs there is a traditional
navagraha panel with the nine grahas carved in relief.
vi) Building material: Sand stone in vimana and laterite in jagamohana.
vii) Construction techniques: Dry masonry, cement plaster and white wash.
viii) Style: Kalingan
ix) Special features, if any: Jagamohana is a later addition.
Recently temple was plastered and white washed.
ii) State of Decay/Danger of Disappearance: —
ii) Structural problems: —
iii) Repairs and Maintenance: It was repaired by the Endowment Department and presently
maintained by Sri Sri Dadhivamana Sundaresvara Trustee Board.
ii) Historic: B
iii) Associational: A
iv) Social/Cultural: B
made of dressed laterite blocks that measures 11.50 metres in length x 13.17 in width and with
a height of 2.52 metres. There are two entrances in the south-west and north-west corner of the
temple.
Detached and loose sculptures: Ten detached sculptures are there inside the Jagamohana
in there northern and southern walls. These sculptures include Kartikeya, Ganesa, Parvati,
miniature circular yoni pithas with Siva lingam.
Well: There is an ancient well made of laterite in the northern side
of the jagamohana at a distance of 1.52 metres. It measures 0.84 square metres with a depth of
7.00 metres.
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 on the right side of the road leading from 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....
to Sundarpada. The enshrined deity is a circular yonipitha facing towards the north. The Siva lingam is absent. There are two entrances on the south-west and northwest corners provided with seven flights of steps leading down to the temple.
Location-
Approach: SundaresvaraSiva temples is located in village Sundarpada, 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 on the right side of the road
leading from Lingaraja temple to Sundarpada. The
enshrined deity is a circular yonipitha facing towards
the north. The Siva lingam is absent. The temple
precinct is 1.15 metres below the present road level.
There are two entrances on the south-west and northwest
corners provided with seven flights of steps
leading down to the temple.
Tradition & legends
According to thelocal tradition the village is named after the enshrined
deity Sundaresvara. Since the environment of the
village was beautiful the enshrined deity of the village
temple was named as Sundaresvara. Similarly the tank
adjoining the temple was named as Sundresvara tank.
Another tradition held that the temple in the village was
dedicated to Sundaresvara, the royal preceptor of lord
Lingaraja. Hence the deity is Sundaresvara and the
name of the village is Sundarapada.
Ownership
i) Single/Multiple: Multipleii) Public/Private: Public
iii) Any other (specify): The temple is under the Endowment Department and looked
after by Sri Sri Dadhivamana Sundaresvara Mahadeva Trust Board having eleven members.
Pralipta Kumar Nanda is the Managing Trustee.
iv) Name: Sri Sri Sundaresvara Mahadeva Trust Board
v) Address: Sundarpada, Old Town, Bhubaneswar.
Age
i) Precise date: —ii) Approximate date: 13th Century A.D.
iii) Source of Information: Architectural features and building materials.
Property Type
i) Precinct/Building, structure landscape site Tank : Buildingii) Subtype: Temple
iii) Typology: Rekha deul
Property use
i) Abandoned/ in use: In useii) Present use: Living temple
iii) Past use: Worshipped
Significance
i) Historic significance: Local people ascribe the temple to the Kesaris(Somavamsis) in general and Yajati-I the builder of the Lingaraja temple in particular.
ii) Cultural significance: Rituals like Sivaratri, Sankranti Kartika Purnima, Dola
Purnima and Jalabhiseka are observed.
iii) Social significance: Marriage and thread ceremony, etc. are observed.
iv) Associational significance: Sri Dadhivamana Sundaresvara Mahadeva Trustee Board.
Physical description
i) Surrounding: The temple is surrounded by the temple compound walls ineast, west, south and the kitchen in north. And beyond the compound wall it is surrounded by
the road in east, Dadhivamana and Gokhi Baba temples in west, residential buildings in
north and Sundaresvara tank in the south across the road.
ii) Orientation: Facing towards West.
iii) Architectural features (Plan & Elevation): The temple stands on a low and rectangular
platform measuring 8.45 metres in length x 4.85 metres in width, with a height of 0.15 metres. On
plan, the temple has a vimana, ganthiala and a jagamohana. The vimana measures 3.10
square metres and jagamohana measures 5.15 metres in length and 4.65 metres in breadth. The
ganthiala measures 0.50 metres in length. On elevation, the temple has a rekha vimana and
pidha jagamohana measuring 5.26 metres and 4.33 metres in height respectively from pabhaga
to kalasa. With the threefold divisions of bada the Vimana has a trianga bada measuring
1.81 metres in height (pabhaga 0.49 metres, jangha 1.00 metres, and baranda 0.32 metres). The
gandi measures 2.25 metres and mastaka 1.20 metres in height respectively. With threefold
division of bada, the jagamohana measures 1.53 metres in height (pabhaga-0.29 metres, jangha-
0.69 metres, and baranda-0.55 metres). The gandi of jagamohana with five receding tiers
measures 1.30 metres. The mastaka measures 1.50 metres has components like beki, amalaka,
khapuri and kalasa.
Raha niche & parsva devatas
Raha niches located in the jangha of north and southand east measures 0.45 metres in height x 030 metres in width and with a depth of 0.12 metres. The
eastern raha niche houses a four armed Kartikeya standing over a lotus pedestal. The deity
holds a cock in lower left hand whose legs are resting over the right uplifted hand of a female
attendant. The lower right hand is touching the beak of his mount peacock. The deity holds a
cattle drum (dambaru) in his upper left and a trident in upper right hand. His head is crowned
with jatamukuta. The northern raha niche houses a four armed Parvati holding ankusa in her
upper left, nagapasa in upper right, mace in lower left and a rosary in lower right hand. The
southern raha niche houses a four armed Ganesa holding a modakapatra in lower left,
nagapasa in upper left, broken tooth in lower right and a rosary in upper right hand. The deity
is seated over a lotus pedestal.
Decorative features
Door Jamb: The door jambs are decorated with three plain verticalbands and measures 1.40 metres in height and 0.87 metres in width. In the lalatabimba Gajalaxmi
is seated over a lotus pedestal and holding lotus in her both hands.
Lintel: In the architrave above the doorjambs there is a traditional
navagraha panel with the nine grahas carved in relief.
vi) Building material: Sand stone in vimana and laterite in jagamohana.
vii) Construction techniques: Dry masonry, cement plaster and white wash.
viii) Style: Kalingan
ix) Special features, if any: Jagamohana is a later addition.
State of preservation
i) Good/Fair/Showing Signs of Deterioration/Advanced: Good state of preservation.Recently temple was plastered and white washed.
ii) State of Decay/Danger of Disappearance: —
Condition description
i) Signs of distress: —ii) Structural problems: —
iii) Repairs and Maintenance: It was repaired by the Endowment Department and presently
maintained by Sri Sri Dadhivamana Sundaresvara Trustee Board.
Grade (A/B/C)
i) Architecture: Bii) Historic: B
iii) Associational: A
iv) Social/Cultural: B
Threats to the Property
Conservation problem and remedies: The temple is enclosed within a compound wallmade of dressed laterite blocks that measures 11.50 metres in length x 13.17 in width and with
a height of 2.52 metres. There are two entrances in the south-west and north-west corner of the
temple.
Detached and loose sculptures: Ten detached sculptures are there inside the Jagamohana
in there northern and southern walls. These sculptures include Kartikeya, Ganesa, Parvati,
miniature circular yoni pithas with Siva lingam.
Well: There is an ancient well made of laterite in the northern side
of the jagamohana at a distance of 1.52 metres. It measures 0.84 square metres with a depth of
7.00 metres.