Vaisnavism in Odisha

Orissa Review Vaisnavism in Odisha Gourishankar Tripathy Cult of Vaisnavism and its origin goes back to the of Siva appeared on the Bharateswar, pre-Rigvedic period when Vishnu was conceived Parsurameswar and the Swarnajaleswar temples as a member of the solar family. From very early in Bhubaneswar. Vaisnavi makes her appearance times Vaisnavism might have existed in the then with the distinctive attribute Garuda on the Odisha. This can be connected with the pedestals in the group of Saptamatrukas to be archaeological monuments relating to the early found in the Parsurameswar, Vaital and medieval period. Holding Sankha, Chakra, Gada Mukteswar temples in Bhubaneswar, into the and Padma Vishnu makes his appearance as a - sculptures of the early medieval period, Vishnu subsiding deity on the temples of Odisha belonging and his female counterpart have thus been to 6th-7th-8th century of Bhubaneswar and other introduced in a very nice way. Vishnu images as places. An image of Vishnu with distinctive the presiding deities of temple shrines are not attributes had been enshrined originally in the traceable in the coastal belt of Odisha. central niche of the southern facade in the Swarnajaleswar temple at Bhubaneswar assigned At Gandharadi about fifteen kilometers to seventh century A.D. was removed to the from Boudha one solitary Vishnu temple is still in Orissa State Museum by Prof K.C. Panigrahi. existence in the hilly region to the surprise of many On the outer walls of this temple, certain scenes visitors. On the northern façade of the Vaital from the life of Sri Ramachandra have been temple an image of Harihara is to be seen in which depicted out of which some scenes are clearly a combined figures of Siva and Vishnu are clearly identifiable and discernible. Especially the scenes prominent. As a part of Siva, Vishnu appears here of Ramachandra cutting down Sapta-salas, killing but as an independent deity. On the southern of Bali, and of Veer Hanuman preparing for Flying facade of Markandeswar temple a panel of to Lankapur are quite prominent. That the sculptures appears where Brahma and Vishnu are Ramayana story was fully known to the builders paying homage to Siva with folded hands. It has of this temple, has been proved beyond doubt been thus established the superiority of Lord Siva with these panels of sculptures providing over Vishnu in many temples in the minds of Siva panoramic views of the life of Sri Ramachandra. Bhaktas. An assembly of all the main deities of the On the temples of Bhubaneswar Child Brahminical Pantheon has been found in which Krishna makes his appearance. In the Odisha vision is quit prominent with the scenes of marriage State Museum, an architectural fragment July - 2011 101 Orissa Review containing a panel of sculptures showing the scene inscription which is now preserved in the hall of of KALIYA DALAN has been preserved, the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain in Bhubaneswar was its provenance. Its stylistic London. In the epigraph it is stated that the temple development indicates to a temple which is not was built for Srikrishna and Balarama. On the later than the 7th Century AD. On the southern bank of Vindusagar by Chandrika Devi who was façade of the Vimana of the Lord Lingaraj temple the daughter of Anangabhim Dev (III) in the Saka there is an appearance of the figures of Nanda Year 1200, corresponding to 1278 A.D. Yasoda, and the child Srikrishna which attracts Paramardi Dev, the ornament of Haihaya family the attention of many. Almost in the same form at married Chandrika Devi who built the Anant- the north east corner of Brahmeswar temple it is Basudev temple in memorium to her husband who found on its western façade. Nanda is a bearded died in a battle fighting against Muslims in Bengal. figure in both the panels’ fitting opposite Yasoda. Bhauma queen Tribhuvan Mahadevi I was a great Where Yasoda is engaged in churning curds. It is devotee of Visnu. She created some Vaisnava shown that child Srikrishna is sitting by the side shrines but no temple of Vishnu had been built by of the curd vessel. her. The presiding deity is an attractive and On the balustrades of the window on the beautiful Visnu image with all his attributes at northern side of the Anant-Vasudev temple, the Jalauka near Chhatia in the district of Cuttack in figures of Ram-Laxman-Sita and Hanuman a temple with four subsidiary ones in four corners appear which proves clearly that Rama was of the compound. It is still in existence in a considered to be an incarnation of Vishnu as they tolerably good condition. It is a contemporary of are found place in a temple meant for Anant Mukteswar temple at Bhubaneswar built during Basudev. Near the balustraded window in the Somavamsi period. In all likelihood in the same north, a few other cult images like Laxmi and period, a Subhastambha had been built at Jajpur Saraswati appear on the Jagamohana of the Anant which is a beautiful monolithic pillar but due to Basudev temple and no doubt that they are the vandalism the pillar had been pulled down. The members of the family of Vishnu. On the southern Subhastambha is certainly a Vaisnavite monument. and northern niches of this temple, there are free- Towards the close of the twelfth century, standing images of the Boar and Dwarf incarnation Swapneswardev, the Commander-in-chief of the which are also enshrined respectively. On the Ganga Dynasty built Megheswar temple which balustrades of the window consisting of Srikrishna contains on its southern façade a small panel of and Gopis to the southern side of the temple there sculpture depicting Godhan-haran. Srikrishna is were five images out of which three balustrades seated on a couch or stool with some female have become detached and placed in a nearby figures in the scene. Those figures must be Gopis small temple by the side of Vindusagar. on his sides with a herd of cows on the pedestals. The ten incarnations of Vishnu are well On the right side of the top corner, there is a little bearded figure to be found witnessing the whole known to the people of Odisha clearly show from scene should be identified with Brahma only. the sculptures of the Anant-Vasudev temple built in 1278 A.D. All the incarnations are identical with On the bank of Vindusagar, Anant Vishnu representing his different forms including Vasudev temple is situated. This is a Vaisnavite the last two incarnations by name Buddha and shrine which had originally a commemorative Kalki. It should be pointed out in this connection, 102 July - 2011 Orissa Review that the 9th incarnation of Vishnu related to Ganga kings alternately bore the names of Goutam Buddha by many is absolutely wrong as Narashimha and Bhanu where Bhanu being Goutam Buddha was the son of a Zamindar at considered an aspect of Vishnu. Ultimately the Kapilvastu in the then Kalinga and he was a sun cult merged into Vaisnava cult in Orissa. As reformer. With the influence of Geeta Govind by an aspect of Vishnu, the sun was conceived and Jayadev, these ten incarnations have been taken was called Viranchi Narayan later on. The only as granted by many but it is not correct at all. two known examples of Saura monuments are However people of Orissa were familiar with this the temples of Konark and the beautiful temple incarnation. Nrisimha appears to have received of Palia in the Balasore district. In Dhenkanal the special attention of the kings and people of district two colossal images of Padmanabha or Odisha out of all these incarnations. In the Sessayi Vishnu are to be found near Talcher. compound of Lingaraj temple a temple of Laxmi- On the stony bed of the river Brahmani Nrisimha is to be found and from the days of at Sarang a colossal image of Padmanabha Gangas Nrishimnath temple at Simhachalam has measuring thirty two feet in height is also to be developed into a great shrine. found which has special attributes of Vishnu in In the twelfth Century, Gitagovind had this form. Another colossal image of Padmanabha been composed by Jayadev. This appears to have measuring fifty one feet and a half in length is to been responsible for popularizing the ten be found at Bhimkund, 18 miles from Talcher. To incarnations including that of Buddha, where the eighth and ninth century A.D. these images Buddha cannot be taken as an incarnation. In the can be assigned. fifteenth century Sarala Dasa composed From this various places of Odisha, stray Mahabharata where there are references to images of vision assignable to the later Ganga necklaces with the incarnations of Vishnu and that period and the Suryavamsi period have been their special attributes were well known even to discovered. Huge images of Krishna-Vasudev the artisans of Odisha. have been discovered in the Prachi valley of the During the Ganga period, Narahari Tirtha Puri district. But with the special attributes of flute and Jayadev appear to have made Vaisnavism and peacock feather of Krishna images are rarely more popular in the then Odisha. A disciple of found. Probably belonging to the transitory period Anant Tirth, Narahari Tirtha lived in Odisha for of the 14th and 15th century A.D. one such image long twelve years and exercised a great influence is now preserved in Orissa State Museum. With on the Ganga royal family who was the founder four hands, two of which hold a flute, the deity of the Dvaita philosophy. He worked as governor stands cross-legged.

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