Bhubaneswar Arjunesvara Siva Temple, Odisha

Address

Bhubaneswar Arjunesvara Siva Temple, Odisha

Shiva Nagar, Old Town,

Bhubaneswar, Odisha

Moolavar

Arjunesvara Siva

Introduction

Arjunesvara Siva Temple is a 12th Century A.D. temple in Bhubaneswar, in the state of Orissa, India. The temple is situated on the southern embankment of the Bindusagar tank at a distance of 70 meters and situated on the right side of the ratha road branching from the road leading from Lingaraja temple to Ramesvara temple. The temple is facing towards west. Currently the temple is abandoned and showing signs of deterioration.

Puranic Significance

Architectural features like saptaratha on plan suggests that this temple was built in the 12th-13th Century A.D. The temple is situated behind the temple of Bhabani Sankara and in the south-east corner of the Sari deul which is an ASI protected monument. It is facing towards west.

The temple is constructed in the Kalingan style using grey sandstone and dry masonry construction technique. The main temple is a Rekha Deul. On plan, the temple has a square vimana measuring 3.50 square meters with a renovated frontal porch of 0.80 meters. The vimana is saptaratha with seven offset projections on each wall as distinguished by a central raha and a pair of anuraha, anuratha and kanika pagas on the either sides. The cella measures 1.50 square meters. On elevation, the vimana is of rekha order that measures 6.20 meters from bottom to the top.

The temple has usual bada and gandi with mastaka missing. With threefold divisions of the bada the temple has a panchaga bada measuring 2.20 metres in height. At the bottom the pabhaga measures 0.52 meters, tala jangha 0.46 meters, bandhana 0.20 meters, upara jangha 0.40 meters and baranda with a set of five moldings measures 0.56 meters in height. Gandi measures 4.00 meters in height and is completely devoid of any decoration. The raha niches on three sides uniformly measures 0.55 meters in height x 0.30 meters in width x 0.15 meters in depth are all empty. However, on both sides the niches are decorated with scroll works.

Above the doorjambs there is a Sukanasa which is designed after a Khakhara mundi flanked by two miniature rekha deulas. Up to the Gandi portion the temple is carved with series of khakhara mundis inserted in every paga. The jangha portion is decorated with series of stylized chaitya motif and bada is relieved with scroll works. Doorjambs: The doorjambs measuring 1.40 meters in height and 0.95 meters in width is decorated with three plain vertical bands. The lintel is plain.

The temple is showing signs of deterioration and in a rapid process of decay due to the growth of vegetation on the exterior walls. Since there is no mastaka rain water directly enters inside the sanctum. As it is not a living temple, the local people use the monument as a public toilet. The temple was repaired by Orissa State Archaeology.