ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review

Ganesha Temples at the Jagannatha Temple Complex of Puri: A Recent Study

Dr. Ratnakar Mohapatra

Introduction all the sects and evolved as a major religion of The worship of is widely India. Ganesha shrines of the Jagannatha temple complex have link with various rites and festivals prevailing in the whole of India and it is considered of Lord Jagannatha temple. Ganesha is one of to be the most popular deity in the Hindu the earliest Hindu gods and is referred to in the pantheon. In the medieval period, the Ganapatya Aitareya .3 The study of Ganesha cult was popular in Odisha. The Ganesha images images and shrines are very interesting for the of Odisha generally fall under four categories such scholars of art history. From the religious and as sthanaka, asina, nrutya and -sahita.1 artistic points of view, the three extant Ganesha These images are mostly appeared as temples of the Jagannatha temple complex attract parsvadevatas of the Shaiva temples and in some both devotees and scholars. Although the places are found to be worshipped as presiding sacredness of these Ganesha shrines are slightly deities. Ganesha is not only the god of auspicious mentioned by earlier scholars, still the artistic but also the Lord of . Due to the popularity features of these temples are not recorded in of Ganapatya cult, three temples for god of detail. Hence a modest attempt has been made in auspicious are found to be erected inside the this article to highlight the art and architecture Jagannatha temple complex, Puri. The exact along with the religious importance of the three geographical location of the temple of Lord Ganesha temples, which are located inside the 0 m S Jagannatha is Latitude 19 18 17 North and Jagannatha temple complex of Puri. Longitude 850 51m 39s East, about 59 kms to the south-east of Bhubaneswar, the capital city of A. Ganesha Temple at the southern side : Odisha.2 The inhabitants of the kshetra (Puri) The temple of Ganesha is situated in the were the worshippers of Pancha Devatas namely inner enclosure of the southern side of the , , , and Ganesha who Jagannatha temple complex. The temple is a single were enshrined in different parts of the Puri town. structure of rekha order. This temple is built in The cult of Jagannatha assimilated the essence of both laterite and sand stones. It faces to south.

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Art and Architecture of the temple of deity is also mostly eroded by nature. Vimana or Deula He displays usual attributes in his hands like other Kartikeya images of Odisha. Devi is the The vimana is a pancha ratha rekha parshvadevata of the eastern side. The two order structure and its height is about 35 feet from armed Kali image has been installed on the double the surface of the temple complex. It is erected petalled lotus pedestal. One leg and two hands on the plinth or pishta of 2 feet high. The pishta of devi are completely broken. Two female sakhi of the structure is decorated by four horizontal figures are carved in standing posture on both mouldings. Base of the bada is square of 16 feet. sides of the slab. The bada of the vimana or deula is panchanga type i.e. having five fold divisions such as The bada of the vimana is surmounted pabhaga, tala jangha, bandhana, upper jangha by the curvilinear superstructure, which displays and baranda. In the left side frontal face of the five pagas. All the pagas of gandi are completely pabhaga of the bada contains a slab of Ananta- undecorated. The base of the frontal raha paga sayee Vishnu image, which is 3 feet in height. The of gandi is decorated with an angashikhara, niches of the tala jangha of bada are decorated which is surmounted by gaja-kranta motif. with khakhara mundis. The intervening recesses Dopichha lions and Deula Charini figures are between the pagas of tala jangha are filled with completely absent in their respective places. simha-vidalas, gaja-vidalas and nara-vidalas. The mastaka of the vimana consists of The bandhana of the bada consists of two beki, amalaka shila, khapuri and kalasa. Here horizontal mouldings. The niches of the upper the ayudha and dhvaja are missing. jangha are relieved with pidha mundis. The The sanctum preserves an image of eight intervening recesses between the pagas of upper handed Ganesha as the presiding deity of the jangha are filled with alasa kanyas, erotic scenes temple. The slab of deity measures 6 feet in length and amorous couples. The baranda of the bada and 3 feet in width.4 It is made of black-chlorite. consists of four horizontal mouldings. The image of Ganesha has been installed on the The central niches of the three sides of double petalled lotus pedestal and it is carved in the bada are housed with parshvadevata images dancing posture. The pedestal of deity is finely of dancing Shiva, Karttikeya and devi Kali. All decorated with flower devices and a devotee in these side deities are mostly eroded by nature, kneeling posture. Mouse, the traditional mount so the details of the sculptural features are not of Ganesha is also carved on the right of the shown. Dancing Shiva is the parshvadevata of pedestal. The upper two hands of deity hold snake, the western side. The two handed image of Lord the right side three hands possess rosary, broken Shiva has been installed on the double petalled tusk, one hand lies on his belly and the left three lotus pedestal. Most of the parts of the image are hands display lotus flower, a pot of ladus and eroded by nature. Both the hands of deity are abhaya mudra respectively. Two female sakhi completely broken. Karttikeya is the figures are standing on both sides of the Ganesha parshvadevata of the northern side. The four image. Rahu head is decorated on the top of the handed image of Karttikeya has been installed background slab of deity. Two flying apsara on the double petalled lotus pedestal. The image figures are carved on the top corners of both sides

JUNE-JULY - 2019 39 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review of the slab. Inner walls of the sanctum are Art and Architecture of the temple completely undecorated. Vimana The sanctum has one doorway towards The vimana of the temple is a pidha the south. Doorjambs of the sanctum are deula and it is about 15 feet in height. The excellently decorated with scroll works, flower structure of the vimana is erected on the platform designs, creepers with the frolicking boys and of 2 feet height. The bada of the vimana is perforated jali works. The centre of the doorway completely plain. The bada of the temple is lintel is carved with an image of Gaja-. surmounted by the pyramidal superstructure, Both sides of the Gaja- Lakshmi image of the which consists of two flat shaped pidhas. There lintel are relieved with flowers, flying apsara is only kalasa found from the top of the upper figures and lotus petalled designs. Navagrahas pidha. are carved on the architrave above the doorway The image of Ganesha is worshipped in lintel. They are all in yogasana posture with usual the sanctum as the presiding deity of the temple. attributes in hands. Some of them are eroded by The four handed deity Ganesha has been installed nature. Nandi and Bhringi are standing on both in seated posture on the plain pedestal. He sides of the main doorway of the sanctum. They displays rosary in right upper hand, broken tusk are acting as the dvarapalas of the temple. These in right lower hand, parashu in left upper hand two figures are also partially damaged by nature. and a pot of ladus in left lower hand respectively. Date of the temple The backside head of the deity is decorated with trefoil makara headed arch. There is no mouse There is no authentic evidence with regard carved in the pedestal of the deity. Inner walls of to the exact date of the Ganesha temple of the sanctum are completely undecorated. The southern side. The architectural features of the doorway of the sanctum is bereft of temple indicate that the temple was built after the ornamentation. construction of the main Jagannatha temple of the Mukhashala site. Considering the iconographic features of side deities, the construction period of the Ganesha The mukhashala of the temple is an open temple can be tentatively assigned to the 1st half pidha deula and it is about 12 feet in height. The of the 14th century A.D. pyramidal roof of the structure is supported by four pillars and it consists of two flat shaped B. Bata-Ganesha Temple pidhas. There is a small mastaka installed on the The temple of Bata-Ganesha is situated top of the upper pidha. Inner walls of the on the inner enclosure of the southern side near mukhashala are depicted with paintings of eight the natamandapa of the Jagannatha temple armed Durga and four armed Lakshmi. They are complex. It is a small temple and consists of two noticed in the western and northern sides of the components such as vimana and jagamohana. inner wall respectively. Although Bata-Ganesha temple is a small shrine Mouse, the conventional mount of deity still it is famous for its religious sanctity. The temple is installed on the circular pedestal of 2 ½ feet is built in sandstones. It faces to south. high and it is noticed in front of the mukhashala.

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On the basis of the architectural features, the image is made of black chlorite and its height is construction period of the temple can be about 5 feet. The four handed deity Ganesha has tentatively assigned to the 16th century A.D. been installed in seated posture on the decorative C. Kanchi Ganesha Temple pedestal. He displays broken tusk in right upper hand, rosary in right lower hand, parashu or The temple of Kanchi Ganesha is situated hatchet in left upper hand and the left lower hand in the inner enclosure of the western side of the holds Shridha devi. The trunk or proboscis of Jagannatha temple complex. It is a very small the deity is touching the of devi. Mouse, deula and built in sandstones. This temple consists the mount of Ganesha is also carved on the right of three structures such as vimana, jagamohana of the pedestal. People popularly call the deity and natamandapa. All these three structures are (image) as Bhanda or Natua Ganesha. On the thickly plastered with lime mortar and erected on basis of tradition, Surya Narayana Dash has the high platform of 5 feet. The temple faces to described that this Ganesha image was brought east. from Kanchi region by Kanchi expedition of king Art and Architecture of the temple Purushottama of the Suryavansi ruler of Odisha.5 After defeating king Salva-Narasingha Vimana Deva of Kanchi, Purushottama Deva had taken The vimana of the temple is a away this Ganesha image along with the image of pancaratha pidha deula and its height is about Sakhi-Gopal as the trophy of his victory.6 The 25 feet from the surface of the temple complex. iconographic features of the Ganesha image Base of the bada is square of 15 feet. The bada indicate that it is not made in the traditional art of the vimana is panchanga type i.e. having five style of Odisha. Most probably, it was brought fold divisions such as pabhaga, tala jangha, from Kanchi by Purushottama Deva, the Gajapati bandhana, upper jangha and baranda. The ruler of Odisha. The iconographic features of the component parts of the bada are not decorated. Ganesha image are not found same in any other Parshvadevatas are absent in their respective Ganesha images of Odisha. places. Inner walls of the sanctum are completely The bada of the vimana is surmounted undecorated. The sanctum has one doorway by the pyramidal superstructure, which consists towards the jagamohana. The doorway is of five pidhas. Dopichha lions and Deula devoid of decorative ornamentation. Charini figures are completely absent in their Jagamohana respective places. The jagamohana of the temple is a pidha The mastaka of the vimana consists of deula and its height is about 15 feet from the beki, ghanta (bell shaped member) above which surface of the temple complex. Base of the bada there is another beki, amalaka shila, khapuri is rectangular and it measures 18 feet in length and kalasa. Here the ayudha of mastaka is and 10 feet in width. The bada of the missing. jagamohana is panchanga type i.e. having five The sanctum preserves an image of fold divisions such as pabhaga, tala jangha, Ganesha as presiding deity of the temple. The bandhana, upper jangha and baranda. The

JUNE-JULY - 2019 41 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review body of the bada is undecorated. The gandi of inhabitants of Puri were the worshippers of jagamohana is a pyramidal superstructure. There Pancha Devatas namely Shiva, Vishnu, Durga, is only kalasa installed on the top of shikhara. Surya and Ganesha. Those devotees who visit Inner walls of the jagamohana are completely Lord Jagannatha temple, they also do visit Bata plain. It has two doorways; one on the eastern Ganesha, Kanchi Ganesha and southern side side and another on the western side. another Ganasha shrine of Jagannatha temple Natamandapa complex of Puri. Although the architectural patterns of the above Ganesha temples of the The natamandapa of the temple is an Jagannatha temple complex are not so open flat roof structure. Its height is about 12 feet significance, but from the religious and artistic from the surface of the temple complex. The base points of view these three Ganesha shrines are of the structure is rectangular and it measures 22 very important in Odisha. feet in length and 8 feet in width. Masonry steps References : of ascending order are provided for approach towards the natamandapa as well as the 1. K. S. Behera, “ Traditions in Sculpture”, in Art sanctum. Tradition of Orissa, Edited by Orissa Sahitya Academi; Bhubaneswar,1982,pp.48-49. Considering the architectural designs, the date of the temple can be tentatively assigned to 2. N. Senapati & D.C. Kuanr (eds.), Orissa District nd th Gazetteer; Puri, Odisha Government Press; the 2 half of the 15 century A.D. Cuttack, 1977, p.779. Conclusion 3. G.S. Das , Exploration of The Prachi Valley , Thus, it is known from the above Bhubaneswar,1958, p. 48. discussion that all the extant Ganesha shrines of 4. G.C. Tripathy, Shri Kshetra Shri Mandira Shri the Jagannath temple complex were built in the Jagannatha (Odia), Bhubaneswar, 1996, p.31. medieval period. The existence of Ganesha 5. S.N. Das, Shri Jagannatha Mandira O temples proves that the worship of Ganapati cult Jagannatha Tatwa (Odia), Cuttack, 1966, p.301. was also prevalent in Puri. The presiding deities Also see, R.P. Mohapatra, Archaeology in Orissa (Sites and Monuments), Vol. I, New Delhi, 1986, of the southern side Ganesha shrines contain the p.163. iconographic features of Odishan art whereas the 6. K.C. Panigrahi, History of Odisha, Cuttack, 1985, presiding deity of western side Kanchi Ganesha pp.216-217. Also see R. P. Mohapatra, Temple temple possesses the artistic features of the South Legends of Orissa, Orissa Sahitya Academi; Indian art. On the basis of Kanchi-Kaveri Bhubaneswar, 1989, pp.31-32. episode, the Ganesha image of the Kanchi Ganesha temple was brought from Kanchi by king Purushottama Deva, the Suryavamsi ruler of Dr. Ratnakar Mohapatra, Lecturer, Department of Odisha. The existence of Ganesha temples along History, Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences, Deemed with other temples at Puri proves that the to be University, Bhubaneswar.

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