Chintamanisvara Siva Temple

Chintamanisvara Siva Temple
Chintamanisvara Siva Temple Location in Orissa
Coordinates:	20°15′00″N 85°50′20″E / 20.25°N 85.83889°E / 20.25; 85.83889Coordinates: 20°15′00″N 85°50′20″E / 20.25°N 85.83889°E / 20.25; 85.83889
Location
Country:	India
State:	Orissa
Location:	Bhubaneswar
Architecture and culture
Important festivals:	Sivaratri, Siva vivaha, jalasaya, rudrabhisekha
Architectural styles:	Rekha deul style
History
Date built: (Current structure)	14th century A.D.

Chintamanisvara Siva Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Siva locted in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa, India. It is situated at the end of the Chintamanisvara road branching from Cuttack - Puri road near the Old Station Bazar. The temple faces towards west and the enshrined deity is a Siva lingam with a yonipitha.

The Temple

The temple dates back to 14th century A.D. According to local legend the temple was built by the Kesharis (Somavamsis). Various religious sacraments like Sivaratri, Siva vivaha, jalasaya, rudrabhisekha are performed here. Marriage and thread ceremonies are held here.

Architectural features

On plan, the temple has a square sanctum, the vimana is of rekha order. From bottom to the top the temple has a bada, gandi and mastaka. There are fivefold divisions the panchanga bada and at the base the pabhaga has a set of five mouldings i.e. khura, kumbha, pata, kani and basanta. Khura portion of the temple has partly been buried. Jangha is segmented into tala jangha and upara jangha by a set of three mouldings of the bandhana, baranda with seven mouldings. The gandi is devoid of any decoration and the mastaka as with Orissan temples has components like beki, amalaka, khapuri and kalasa.

Eastern niche enshrines a four armed Kartikeya image. His major left is in varadamudra and right hand holds a mace. His uplifted back left hand holds a cock and his right hand is held over the head of the peacock. Southern niche houses a four armed Ganesa image who is holding rosary in his major right hand and modaka patra in his left hand. His uplifted back right hand holds an ankusa while his left hand holds a broken tooth(tusk).The northern raha niche houses goddess Parvati.

Decorative features

The tala jangha and the upara jangha of the bada are carved with a series of khakhara mundis and pidha mundis respectively. In the beki recess above the kanika paga there is a deula charini where as above the raha paga at the center there are four armed divinities. The base of the doorjamb is carved with two khakhara mundis on either side. Temple is enclosed by a modern compound wall measuring 40.00 square m, 1.80 m in height with a thickness of 0.20 m. There is a four armed Ganesa in the right side of the doorjamb. The deity is holding a Parasu and rosary in his lower left and right arms and modakapatra in upper left and a broken tooth(tusk) in lower left arm.

Chintamanisvara Tank

Chintamanisvara Tank

It is a temple tank located within the precinct of temple. According to local people the tank was dug by the Kesharis. Festivals like Kartika purnima and Sravana purnima are observed here. The tank is rectangular in shape made of laterite measuring 22.40 m in length and 11.20 m in breadth with a depth of 3.00 m. The tank is fed by a natural spring with waters from underground. As a result of which water level is always constant through out the year. There is an outlet in the eastern wall to discharge the excess water.

See Also

• List of temples in Bhubaneswar

Reference notes

• K.C. Panigrahi, Archaeological Remains at Bhubaneswar, Calcutta, 1961. P. 16.
• Lesser Known Monuments of Bhubaneswar by Dr. Sadasiba Pradhan (ISBN 81-7375-164-1)

References

• http://ignca.nic.in/asi_reports/orkhurda041.pdf