Chakreshvari Siva Temple

Chakresvara Shiva temple
Chakresvara Shiva temple Location in Orissa
Coordinates:	20°14′27″N 85°50′12″E / 20.24083°N 85.83667°E / 20.24083; 85.83667Coordinates: 20°14′27″N 85°50′12″E / 20.24083°N 85.83667°E / 20.24083; 85.83667
Location
Country:	India
State:	Orissa
Location:	Bhubaneswar
Architecture and culture
Primary deity:	lord Shiva
Architectural styles:	Kalingan Style (Kalinga Architecture)
History
Date built: (Current structure)	10-11th century A.D.

Chakresvara Shiva temple is a living Hindu temple bulit in 10-11 AD dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Hatiasuni lane, Rajarani Colony, Bhubaneswar, Orissa. The deity, lingam is within a circular yonipitha in side the sanctum. The temple is surrounded by private residential buildings in eastern and northern side and chakresvara tank in the west. It is The temple is of great significance as various rituals like Sivaratri, Diwali, and Sankranti are observed here. Also this temple serves as a purpose of a sacred place for Thread ceremony, Rudrabhiseka, Chandrabhiseka.

Architectural features

The temple stands on a low platform. On plan, the temple has a vimana and a renovated frontal porch. The vimana(shrine) is pancharatha and the frontal porch. On elevation, the vimana is of rekha order extends from pabhaga to kalasa. From bottom to the top, the temple has a bada, gandi and mastaka. With three-fold divisions of the bad the temple has a trianga bada. At the bottom, the pabhaga has four base mouldings of khura, kumbha, pata and basanta.

Special Feature

In the lalatabimba, four-armed Lord Ganesha which is found in place of the usual Gaja-laxmi. It is an exception of the temples of Bhubaneswar. Another departure is noticed at Kalarahanga where the lalatabimba is occupied by images of both Ganesa and Saraswati. In front of the temple, there are images of Parvati and Kartikeya and an amlaka stone in the southern side of the temple.

Decorative features

The doorjambs are decorated with three vertical bands of scroll works like puspa sakha, nara, sakha and patra sakha from exterior to interior. At the lalatabimba there is a four armed Ganesha with in a niche seated over his mount mouse. At the base of the doorjamb, there are dvarapala niches on either sides. The niches enshrine two armed Saivite dwrapala holding trident in their right hands and varada in left hands. The architrave above the doorjamb is beautifully carced with Navagrahas within the niches. Surya holds lotus in his hands, Rahu holds half moon and Ketu with a serpent tail.

See Also

• List of temples in Bhubaneswar

References

• Book: Lesser Known Monuments of Bhubaneswar by Dr. Sadasiba Pradhan, date of documentation 19.09.2006, ISBN 81-7375-164-1.
• Dr.Sadasiba Pradhan [1]
• Web page http://ignca.nic.in/asi_reports/orkhurda039.pdf
• Web Page List of Hindu temples in India#Orissa