Banapur As a Tourist Attraction

Orissa Review * September - 2004 Banapur as a Tourist Attraction Priyadarshini Bakshi Debendra Nath Bhoi Orissa is the treasure house of cultures and Daksa Prajapati Siva Temple belongs to customs, religions and traditions, languages and the Ganga Period. During the Ganga period the literatures, art and architecture as well as evolution of the temple architecture and scenic beauty and wild life which bear the sculpture of Orissa reached the climax. The essence of India. Orissa occupies an important temple is situated in a compound surrounded place in preservation of the wonders of her by low walls facing on east-west axial magical land secretly from the intrusions of the alignments, the plain Natamandira and Bhoga cultural outside world. mandapa being later additions. The Deula and Jagamohana go side by side. Natamandira and For the connoisseurs, Banapur is a town Bhogamandapa are build on a high platform holding significant place in the historical and whereas the Deula and Jagamohana rise the cultural ferments. Banapur is 8 kms from directly from the ground. Within the compound Balugaon and 104 kms from Bhubaneswar is there are also numerous late structures situated in 85010' east longitude and 19° 47' including Pidha temple and stepped well north latitude in the extreme southwest of the directly to the south. Khurda sub-division, one of the great religious This temple attracts the tourists due to centers of Orissa. The area of Banapur is a its keen beautiful sculpture i.e., Gaja-Vidala, promising site for the discovery of Female figures, Parsvadevatas, Dikpalas and archaeological remains going back to the 1st other minor images etc. The decorative female century B.C. Once it was the capital of the figures depicted in the mood of lassitude are Sailodbhava dynasty, responsible for the known as Alasa Kanyas. They are shown in construction of the early group of temples at various roles such as holding a child, looking Bhubaneswar. into the mirror, taking out anklets, playing on Daksa Prajapati or Daksesvara Siva Temple musical instruments etc. On the walls of the temple can be seen the king with all his majesty, One of the best preserved temple of the soldiers, Siksadana scenes, dancers, hunters first half of the 13th rentury A.D and a fine etc. Royal tigers also appear on the walls of specimen of extraordinary artistic excellence temples. Erotic sculptures from an important of Orissan art is the Daksa Prajapati or aspect in the decorative programme. Generally Daksesvara Siva Temple at Banapur. Kama is depicted standing between his two 46 Orissa Review * September - 2004 concerts, Rati and Priti, one of whom holds a Bhagavati Temple bow and the other one arrow. The animals Bhagavati, the presiding deity of represented on temples include elephant, horse, Banapur, is one of the twelve famous camel, boar, monkey etc. The scroll work Saktipithas as mentioned by Sarala Dasa in called dali or lata, is extremely beautiful and varied in design. Scroll works locally known his Oriya Mahabharata. The present temple as Phulla-Lata, Patra-Lata, Vana-Lata, Phasa- and his Jagamohana are said to have been Lata, Chakri-Lata, Jiva-Lata etc. constructed by the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri. In this temple; the Parsvadevata in the The niches are Ganesa, Kartikeya and Parvati. temple stands Outside the door, Gaja-Laxmi in Padmasana on the edge of appears in the center of the lintel. Naga the a deep pool eight-seated Dikpalas noticed on the within a high Khakharamundis. The eight-seated Dikpalas enclose wall. are Indra, Agni, Yama, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera, Temple and Isana and Nriti. Jagamohana The Mastaka is composed of the Beki, are built in Amlaka, Kalasa and Ayudha. The huge Pidha order Amlakas as crowning members are supported and thickly by Dopichasimhas and above the Kanikas four plastered with lime mortar, later a new- armed deities seated over the Raha. pillared Mandapa has been added to the front of the Jagamohana for convenience of the The Sandhisthala connects the Deula devotees. The niches of the inner wall of the with Jagamohana decorated with images. Among them Bhairava aspect, Benign aspect, compound contain loose sculptures of Ganesha, Nataraja image, Varaha image, four-armed Siva Kartikeya and Parvati and Chamunda. An in the south and north Sandhisthala. Like main image of Mahisamardini Durga locally known temple, Jagamohana is also decorated with as Bhagavati is worshiped in the sanctum of beautiful sculptures. the main temple. The deity appears to be eight armed figures of Mahisamardini Durga. Of the Inside the temple compound Budhima eight hands in the four on the right objects are Mandir faces north, Budhalinga Mandir faces sword, spear, short dagger, and arrow and the west and Mahavir Mandir faces east. These hands of the left side display shield, bow, conch temples are added in the later period. In the and disc. The chopped off head of the buffalo right side of the temple compound the image of Hanuman is decorated with ornaments. He demon is lying on the lotus pedestal. She is is holding a Gada in right hand and hill in left adorned with decorative ornaments. Ganesha hand. The image Lokesvara which is in the and Parvati images are kept in southern and compound was very likely brought from northern niches respectively as Parsvadevatas. Achutarajpur village, a famous Buddhist site The Parvati image is locally worshipped as of the locality. There is an excavated well Bhubaneswari. A separate shrine has been inside the temple premises and an image of constructed in front of the Jagamohana for Ganga-devi in sitting posture. worship of Goddess Polaksuni, which is an 47 Orissa Review * September - 2004 image of Mahisamardini Durga. Another image Radha and Krishna people converge on the of Chamunda is kept near the Polakasuni image. streets with their idols on gayly decorated Tikarai Temple "Vimanas" singing devotional songs in their praise and throwing, colour powders and In the Tikarai temple near the Tehsil waters on eachother. Office threr are images of very early date. The presiding deity of this temple is Mahisamardini Durga puja symbolising the victory of Durga, locally worshipped as Tikarai. Another good over evil is celebrated in October. image is worshipped as Tarini or Ugratara. The Bhagavati temple is famous for Durgapuja. Goddess is seated on Lalitasana on a well- Pilgrims from different corners of Orissa enjoy designed lotus pedestal. Her right foot is also this festival at Banapur. porched on a small lotus. Her right hand is in Cuisine the Varada-mudra and she holds the stalk of The most popular is fish of both salt and the lotus in the left hand being placed over the fresh water. Prawns and crabs, which form knee. The corresponding female attendant of delicious dishes for the consumers. Cakes the left side is Ekajata seated in Maharajalila (Pithas) of powdered grams like Chakuli, pose on a lotus with a fierce mane and hair rising upwards like flames, the pot bellied Kakara, Manda, Arisa etc. are also popular. dwarfish deity holds in her right hand a Katari, Handicrafts the skull cup in the left hand being broken. The In Orissa, Banapur is the famous center Torana in the background is fitted with a of cane furniture. Here the chairs, baskets, Makara head on eitherside of horizontal bar garden swings, and household items are made and a trifoiled arch at the top. The inner facet with cane. A variety of baskets with different of the arch is relieved with diamonds, each types of cane are made. Mats of bamboo straps alternating with, a disc. Artistic finish and are quite common. iconographic features of this image can safely take it back to the 10th century A.D. One of the important places for excursion near Banapur is Chilika lake. Nestling in the Fairs and Festivals heart of coastal Orissa, the blue lagoon, Banapur in not only an ideal choice for Chilika, which is India's biggest inland lake monuments and other attractions but also for and one of the stirring places where one would her colourful fairs and festivals like to go again and again. The migrating birds Makarasankranti is celebrated with gusto in of Chilika make it a tourist paradise in winter mid-January when the sun enters the orbit of season. Shaped like a pear the lake covers Capricon. Sun-god is worshipped with great 1,100 sq.miles. It is listed as the Asia's largest flavour and enthusiasm by one and all. The brakish water lake according to Ramsar festival can be enjoyed at Banapur in Daksa- Convention of 1971. The Chilika lake covers Prajapati Siva Temple. an area of about 450 sq. ml spreading to a length Panchu-Dola or Holi is the most popular of 72 kms from south to north and breadth of and coloured festival of Banapur celebrated 16 kms sided by a long bar of sandy ridge of on Phalguna-Purnima (March-April)and a day the sea in east and the National Highway in the succeeding. Based on the romantic plays of east. 48 Orissa Review * September - 2004 A number of islands dot the expanse of varieties of insects and fishes. Amphibians like the lake with colourful names such as Nalban snakes and frogs are many. Bird life can be Island, Birds Island, Honeymoon Island etc. studied by itself. Sunset and sunrise are Kalijai memorable experience here. Another rocky island is the Kalijai, home Satapada the Goddess Kalijai which commemorates to The simplicity of nature comes in the tragedy enacted in the past. Kalijai was different forms at Satapada which is quite newly married and was being taken by boat perfect for a short vacation.

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