GRANDEUR OF ANCIENTS ✨

A gem on Odisha's crown

The greatest and the most lasting contributions of the Somavamsi kings to the Odishan life and cultures were made in the realm of art, architecture and sculpture. This period is a great landmark in the history of Odishan as well as of Indian art. A large number of monuments were constructed in the Somavamsi period, which represents the finest specimens of Odishan art and architecture. The typical Kalinga style reached its peak under their patronage, assumed its final shape and became distinct in form and style. The Jagmohana became an inseparable element in the temple architecture and emerged as a Pidha Deul. The deul came to possess a soaring height and majestic look in this period. The study of these monuments gives definite idea about the extent and nature of medieval Odishan art. This period also witnessed an unprecedented artistic activity all over Odisha. Tradition attributes most of the temples of Bhubaneswar to the agency of the Somavamsi kings. In fact the creative activity of the latter was not only continued but also perfected by the Somavamsi kings.

              Mukteshwar Temple, Bhubaneswar

THE LORD OF FREEDOM ✨ :-

The Muktesvara temple is a novelty in the field of Odishan temple architecture.It was so stylishly designed that it became one of the most beautiful temples of India. The gate of the temple was well designed and its balance and design give it a grandiose look. Muktesvara means "Lord of Freedom".

dedicated to Hindu god Shiva, located in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, India. The temple dates back to 970 CE and is a monument of importance in the study of the development of Hindu temples in Odisha. The stylistic development the Muktesvara marks the culmination of all earlier developments, and initiates a period of experiment which continues for an entire century, as seen in such temples as the Rajarani Temple and Lingaraj temple, both located in Bhubaneswar.

( Nagraj on the walls of the temple)

The Muktesvara Temple is found to be the earliest work from the Somvamsi period. Most scholars believe the temple is the successor to Parsurameswar Temple and built earlier to the Brahmesvara Temple (1060 CE). Percy Brown puts the date of construction of the temple to 950 CE. The presence of torana (gateway), which is not part of any other temple in the region, makes this temple unique and some of the representations indicate the builders were starters of a new culture. The Somavamsi king Yayati I contributed to the building of the temple. This temple is also regarded as a grand ancestor of the Brahmesvara. Fergusson calls it "a gem of odishan architecture". And to Rajendra Lal Mitra "it is the handsomest-a charming epitome of the perfection of the Odishan architecture".

(  Toran Dwar of the temple )

The most essential feature of the torana, or the arched gateway, dating back to about 900 CE and showing the influence of Buddhist architecture. The arched gateway has thick pillars that have strings of beads and other ornaments carved on statues of smiling women in languorous repose.

The porch is a walled chamber with a low, massive roof and internal pillars. The combination of vertical Figure-1 (Mukteswar Temple) and horizontal lines is skillfully arranged so as to give dignity of buildings of moderate height. This early astylar form of the temple is best illustrated in this temple. The gateway has sculptures that range from elaborate scrolls to pleasant female forms and figures of monkeys and peacocks. The front and back of the arch are similar in design.

There are a number of sculptures of skeletal ascetics in teaching or meditation poses. Some scholars correlate the role of the temple as a center for Tantric initiation with the name Muktesvara as a possible thesis. The outer face of the compound wall has niches of Hindu deities like Saraswathi,Ganesha and Lakulisha (the fifth century founder of the Pashupata sect of tantric Saivism).

( The Sculpture depicting the story of Mahakapi Jataka )