Going back to roots
Whenever I go back to the town I grew up in, a sense of bewilderment envelops me. The tentacles of modernisation and commercialisation have turned my sleepy town in to a city of bustle and busy, of broader roads and worse traffic, of outflung areas that got gobbled up by the expanding city, of construction and indubitable progress and of a rush of people going somewhere I never know.
Therefore, every journey into the city requires of me a certain readjustment. I keep looking for familiar landmarks amidst the many unfamiliar developments. I espy the radio station still looking as desolate as ever, the cultural auditorium where I had sometimes performed as a child, my school that still needs a coat of paint, the earlier bustling squares that have now lost out to busier and bigger squares, and the by-lanes that I knew intimately once. They comfort me with assurance…providing the warmth of the familiar in what is now an unfamiliar city.
Coexistence of old and new
The biggest sense of comfort, though, comes from the temples that continue to be the silent sentinels of my city. Even today, a short detour can take you back a millennium in a matter of minutes. Known as the temple city, Bhubaneswar, where I grew up, will continue to be moored to its past, anchored by some of the most breathtakingly beautiful examples of Kalinga architecture and masonry, sculpted in stone. Standing proudly in the midst of a growing city are temples of Lingaraj, Kapileswara, Rameswar, Mukteswar, Rajarani, Kedar Gouri, Anant Basudeba (a solitary Vaishnav temple amongst many dedicated to Lord Shiva), Baitala (dedicated to Goddess Chamunda) and many others.
Mukteswar Temple, Bhubaneswar
Some of these are active temples with throngs of devotees, while some others are preserved for their architectural magnificence and host annual Odissi classical dance recitals. But my reason for visiting these remain the same as many years before…I am still awestruck by their incredible majesty and architectural splendour.
Different parts of the temple structure
Most Kalinga temples follow strict guidelines as per the deula style. When you enter the temple, you first come to the Bhoga-mandapa (the hall of offerings), followed by the Nata-mandira (the hall of festivities), followed by the Jagamohan (the hall of asssembly) and finally the Vimana (which houses the sanctum sanctorum). The size of the structures increases as you progress, giving you a sense of symmetry and grandeur fused together. All of these structures are still standing at the Lingaraj temple, while in many others, you see the Jagamohan and Vimana alone.
Built following strict guidelines
The architectural details are many (like the plinth or foundation is usually a third in depth compared to the height of the Vimana; the vertical axis passes exactly through the centre of the sanctum etc.), and their geometric precision and use of ancient Shilpa Shastra has made the structures endure hundreds of years of natural forces.
The famous Puri Jagannath Temple
Intricate carving documenting history
I am even more enamoured by the amazing detailing that is found on the walls of these temples. Arches, corniches and friezes, every inch of these massive structures, have been sculpted with precision and passion. They speak to the talent and toil of the craftsmen who worked on these massive structures. Sculptures depicting nartakis (danseuses), daily life, soldiers and commoners, lions and elephants, gods and demons, aquatic creatures, mythology and sexual erotica provide an overwhelming plethora of imagery, bound to bedazzle. Embellished with symbolism, human detailing, gateways, porches and pillars richly decorated and meticulously sculpted, they bring alive the same awe and transport me back many years when as a child I had first gazed at them.
The sculptors of these sandstone structures have long gone…but the craft lives on through sheer determination and sometimes with governmental patronage. Even today, you can see some outstanding works of Odisha temple sculptures, being created and recreated. To me, they are a link to my memories, to all of us they are a link to our glorious past.
Loved this article. I had an opportunity to visit these temples recently. Konark temple is truly an architectural marvel.