Hanuman Temple at Jagati

Orissa Review * February - March - 2009 Hanuman Temple at Jagati Ramesh Meher The Hanuman Temple of Jagati is an important and had gone to his house. When the fisherman Hanuman shrine of Orissa. This temple is located slept on his bed in that night, he saw in a dream at Jagati village, in Laxmi Prasad Gramapanchayat that he has thrown the Lord Hanuman into the area of Boudh district, whose earlier name was water of pond. In the next day he had gone to Yayatinagara the capital of the Somavamsi period. collect the fish from that pond again that stone It is close to the right bank of the Mahanadi, was attached in his net. Then the fisherman rescued situated at the distance of about 13 kms from the stone-image from that pond and began to Boudh towards Sonepur. It can be reached by the state highway through a road of about three worship. At first this stone image was very small. kms. The temple is situated in the eastern side of According to local legend after few months this the Twin temple of Gandharadi at the distance of image began to increase day by day. At last a about one km. It is a small temple, which time came when this figure of image was increased dedicated to the Lord Hanuman. Hanuman, the to about six feet in height. The priest (the presiding deity of the temple is regarded as the fisherman) prayed to the lord Hanuman and said, protector of that area. From the architectural point if you would increase like this day by day, how I of view, the temple of Hanuman is not important can worship you. From that day, this image did as it is built in the middle of the 20th Century A.D. not increase. After that, the fisherman approached But the temple contains a sculpture datable to later to the local people of that area and decided to medieval period. The temple faces to the south build a temple for public worship. direction. A modest attempt has been made in this article to highlight the detailed art and Art and Architecture of the Temple architecture of the temple of Hanuman at Jagati. The temple of Hanuman consists of four Legend of the temple structures such as Vimana, Jagamohana, On the basis of the tradition, local people Natamandapa and Bhogamandapa. All these say that one day a fisherman collected the fish by structures of this temple are built in the burn bricks his net in the pond. He found a stone looking like and stones. The Vimana and Jagamohana of the a monkey in his net. At first, he threw this stone in temple were probably constructed at first. But the pond. Again and again these processes the other two structures were built in the later continue. At last he threw this stone in the pond period. 24 Orissa Review * February - March - 2009 Vimana period. These two are built in single structure. The The Vimana of the temple is a Rekha deula height of these two structures is about nine feet and its height is about 25 feet from the surface of .The bada of the both natamandapa and the temple complex. The base of the Vimana is bhogamandapa are combiningly built in single wall. rectangular. It is erected in the platform of one The entire bada portion of these two structures foot high. All the component parts of the bada are devoid of decorative ornamentation. The bada are mostly undecorated. Dopicha lion are fixed of the both structures are surmounted by modern on the top of the kanika pagas of gandi. Garuda flat roof. Above these structures, two mastakas figure are inserted in the four cardinal directions are found, one is for natamandapa and other is of the beki rahas. They are acting as the for bhogamandapa. The mastaka of this structure supporting element of the amalaka sila of the consists of beki, amlaka sila, khapuri, kalasa, mastaka. ayudha and dhvaja. The mastaka of the Vimana consists of beki, Date of the temple amalaka sila, khapuri, kalasa, ayudha(chakra) and There is no authentic historical evidence dhwaja. with regard to the approximate date of the A huge Hanuman image is enshrined in the Hanuman temple. On the basis of the architectural santum as the presiding deity of the temple. The features, the construction period of the Hanuman image is carved in the standing posture on a single temple can be tentatively assigned to the 19th piece of stone. He holds Gandhamardan Parvat century A.D. But the sculpture of Hanuman is (a huge rock) in right hand and katuri or short datable to the later medieval period. dagger in left hand. He weares a garland of jewels (vaijantimala) in his body.The presiding deity is It is known from the above discussion that decorated with orranments of heavy kundalas for the architectural features of the temple are not so neck. The pendant fitted to the necklace is said important like other notable temples of Orissa. to contain figure of Rama and Sita . The image is But the temple is considered by devotees as one made of sand stone and its height is about six feet of the important Hanumana shrines of Baudh and three feet width. The sanctum has one district. People of the neighbouring villages doorway towards the Jagamohana. worship this deity in large number. Festivals like Jagamohana Makara Sankranti, Pana Sankranti, Dashera, Kumar Purnima, Rama Navami, Dola, and The Jagamohana or Mukhasala of the Gahma Purnima are regularly observed in this temple is a flat roofed structure and its height is temple with great pomp and enthusiasm. about 10 feet from the surface of the temple complex. The base of the Jagamohana is Reference: rectangular and it measures about 12 feet in length 1. R.P. Mohapatra, Archaeology in Orissa (Sites and 10 feet width. The structure of the and Monuments), Vol. I, New Delhi, 1986. Jagamohana is also erected on the platform of one foot high. All the components of bada are completely plain. Natamandapa and Bhogamandapa Ramesh Meher is a Conservator, Manuscripts Both the Natamandapa and Conservation Centre, P.G. Department of History, Bhogamandapa are constructed in the modern Sambalpur University, Jyoti Vihar. 25.

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