Astasambhu Siva Temples

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Astasambhu Siva Temple
Astasambhu Temple Complex.jpg
Religion
Affiliation Hinduism
District Khurda
Deity Lord Siva
Location
Location Bhubaneswar
State Odisha
CountryIndia
India Odisha location map.svg
Om symbol.svg
Location in Odisha
Geographic coordinates 20°14′37.28″N85°50′10.04″E / 20.2436889°N 85.8361222°E / 20.2436889; 85.8361222 Coordinates: 20°14′37.28″N85°50′10.04″E / 20.2436889°N 85.8361222°E / 20.2436889; 85.8361222
Architecture
Type Kalinga Architecture
Completed10th century A.D.
Elevation33 m (108 ft)

Astasambhu Siva Temples is a collection of 8 Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Siva located in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, India. [1]

Contents

The Temple

In the Uttaresvara Siva Temple precinct there are eight temples of identical size and dimension locally known as Astasambhu. Ashta means eight and Sambhu refers to another name of Lord Shiva. Five of them are arranged in one alignment are also known as Panchu Pandava. According to architectural features like bada division and pabhaga mouldings, this temple was built around 10th Century A.D. This is a building made up of stones and its typology is Rekha Deul . The temple is surrounded by Godavari tank in the east, Uttaresvara Siva Temple compound wall in west, and Bindusagar tank in south beyond the compound wall. The temple has an east facing shrine.[ citation needed ]

Architecture

The temple has a square vimanam (shrine) measuring 2.45 metres with a frontal porch of 0.53 metres. Its pancharatha(five chariots) as distinguished by a central raha and a pair of anuratha and kanika pagas on either sides of the raha. On elevation, he vimana is of rekha order that measures 5.72 metres in height from pabhaga to kalasa. From bottom to the top the temple has a bada, gandi and mastaka. With three fold divisions of the bada the temple has a trianga bada measuring 1.72 metres. At the bottom the pabhaga has four base mouldings of khura, kumha, pata, basanta that measures 0.47 metres. Jangha measures 0.90 metres and baranda measuring 0.35 metres thick has three mouldings. The gandi measuring 3.00 metres in height is devoid of any decoration and mastaka measures 1.00 metres with components like beki, amlaka, khapuri and kalasa.

The parsvadevata niches are located on the raha paga of the jangha on the three sides of north, west and south measuring 0.50 metres x 0.32 metres and with a depth of 0.20 metres. Except the southern niche the rest two are empty. The niches are decorated with talagarbhika and urdhagarbhika of khakhara order. The southern niche houses a four armed Ganesha holding a parasu in his lower left, a rosary with varadamudra pose in lower right hand. His upper hands are broken. The deity is flanked on the top by two flying vidyadharas holding garlands in their hands. This temple is made up of coarse grey sandstone, construction technique is dry masonry type and construction type is Kalingan.[ citation needed ]

Decorative features

The doorjamb is decorated with three vertical bands and measures 1.20 metres in height x 0.84 metres in width. At the base of the doorjamb there are dvarapala niches on either side measuring 0.28 metres in height x 0.12 metres in width and houses the Saivite dvarapala’s holding trident. At the lalatabimba there is a Gajalaxmi holding a lotus in her left hand and right hand is in Varada mudra. The architrave above the doorjamb carved with the traditional Navagrahas flanked by two atlantid ganas on either side.

See also

Related Research Articles

Kedareswar Temple

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Jaleswar Siva Temple Precinct

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Kapilesvara Siva Temple

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Lokanatha Siva Temple

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Arjunesvara Siva Temple

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Chintamanisvara Siva Temple

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Patalesvara Siva Temple – I

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Svapnesvara Siva Temple

Svapnesvara Siva temple is in Gourinagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha. It is 200 m northeast of Purvesvara Siva temple. The temple is facing east. The 2 m2 sanctum is empty.

Swarnadhisvara Siva Temple

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Markandeshwar Siva Temple

Markandesvara Siva Temple was constructed by Kesaris to commemorate the visit of sage Markandeya, same as the Samesvara Siva temple. It is an abandoned temple and is facing towards the east. However at the center of the sanctum there is a Siva-lingam with the circular Yoni pitha. The temple is totally covered with wild vegetations.

Somesvara Siva Temple

The Somesvara Siva temple is located in the Kharakhia Baidyanath temple precinct in Kharakhia Vaidyanath Sahi, Old Town, of Bhubaneswar. It is located approximately 300 metres south of Lingaraja temple. Visitors may approach the site on the left side of Baidyanath Road leading from Lingaraja temple to Kapilesvar. It is a living temple and faces towards the west. The enshrined deity of this temple is a Siva lingam within a circular yonipitha at the center of the sanctuary located 0.93 metres below the chandrasila. The temple is under the care and maintenance of Babulal Makaddam Badu Mohapatra, the chief priest of the temple, on whose private land the temple stands.

Gangesvara Siva Temple

Gangesvara Siva Temple is situated within a precinct on the left side of the Ganges–Yamuna road Old Town, Bhubaneswar,Orissa,India. It is located at a distance of 200 metres north-east of Lingaraj temple, 50 metres north of Lakhesvara temple across the road, 200 metres south of Subarnesvara and 100 metres east of Gourisankar temple. The temple is facing towards east. The presiding deity is a Siva lingam within a circular yonipitha. It is a living temple and maintained by the Ganga YamunaSangathana.

Ladu Baba Temple

Ladu Baba Temple is a temple in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. It was built in the 13th century AD and was formerly known as Kainchhi Temple.

Tirthesvara Siva Temple

The Tirthesvara Siva temple is a Hindu template located in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, India.

Lakhesvara Siva Temple

Lakhesvara Siva temple Location: Lat 20° 14’ 33"N, Long 85° 50’ 17" E, Elev 60 ft. Approach- Lakhesvara Siva temple is located in the right side of the Ganges–Yamuna road, behind the Lingaraja market complex, Old town, Bhubaneswar,Orissa,India. It is situated at a distance of 70 metres north east of Lingaraj temple and at a distance of 10 metres south of Gangesvara and Yamunesvara Siva temple across the road. The temple is facing towards the east. The enshrining deity is a Siva lingam within a circular yoni-pitha, which is 0.77 metres below the chandrasila.

Mangalesvara Siva Temple

Mangalesvara Siva Temple is a Hindu temple located in Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India. It is located at Lat- 20◦ 14’ 38" N., Long- 85◦ 50’ 38" E., and at an elevation of 45 ft.

Sarvatresvara Siva Temple

Sarvatresvar Siva Temple is situated on the right side of Mahavir lane branching from Lewis road to Sisupalgarh,Bhubaneswar,Orissa,India. It enshrines a Siva-lingam within a circular yonipitha inside the sanctum. It is a living temple and Bibhuti Bhusan Das is the chief priest of the temple. As per the chief priest it is a Patalaphuta linga. The temple precinct is located on the right bank of the stream Gangua.
iii) Tradition & legends: The name of the deity Sarvartesvara implies as the lord of all the planes.

Subarnesvara Siva Temple

Subarnesvara Siva temple is situated on the left bank of Lingaraja west canal,Bhubaneswar,Orissa,India,which can be approached through Kotitirthesvara lane leading from Parasuramesvar temple to Bindu sagar. It stands opposite Nagesvara across the Lingaraja west canal at a distance of 10.35 metres. The temple faces east. The enshrined deity is a Siva lingam within a circular yoni pitha in the sanctum measuring 2.35 square metres.

Suka Temple

Suka Temple is an abandoned and unused temple in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, India. 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 Odisha.

Lakhesvara Siva temple is in Bhubaneswar in the Indian state of Orissa. The temple dates from the 13th century AD. The temple faces the east. The enshrining deity is a Siva lingam within a circular yoni-pitha, which is 0.77 m below the chandrasila. The local people are indifferent towards the legends of the temple. It is looked after by the Ganga-Yamuna Sangathana.

References

  1. K. C. Panigrahi, Archaeological Remains at Bhubaneswar, Calcutta, 1961. P. 19.
  2. T. E. Donaldson, Hindu Temple Art of Orissa, Vol. I, Leiden, 1985, P. 64.

Notes

  1. Iconography of the Buddhist Sculpture of Orissa: Text .P.42.Thomas E. Donaldson