Goddess Kali Temples at Srikshetra

Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 Goddess Kali Temples at Srikshetra Dr. Ratnakar Mohapatra Introduction construction of temples in all parts of the kshetra. Srikshetra popularly known as Puri, is situated Before the British occupation of Odisha, this (Latitude 190 47m 55s North and Longitude 850 kshetra was the political headquarters of the 49m 5s East) on the shore of the Bay of Bengal in eastern part of Odisha. Prior to the advent of the state of Odisha.1 It is located about 59 kms Vaishnavism, the kshetra was a Sakta pitha and it to the south-east can be substantiated of Bhubaneswar. both by the literary The place of texts containing the Srikshetra is well- list of Sakta pithas in known for its Tantric texts and historic antiquities archaeological and religious evidences. Kali or sanctuaries in Mahakali, the first India. The term Mahavidya, is the ‘Sri’ before most popular deity kshetra denoting in India as well as either goddess Odisha. The present Lakshmi or simply form of Kali beauty.2 On the basis of Puranic tradition, Lakshmi worship is mainly based on the Kali Tantra and is the mistress of the kshetra and hence the place Tantrasara. Goddess Kali is being worshipped (Puri town) often called as Srikshetra. A survey by local people of Puri town in different names / of the extant temples of the Srikshetra reveals that forms like Bedhakali, Dakshinakali, Shyamakali, there was brisk architectural activities started from Smasana Kali, Gachhakali, etc. Of all the forms the Somavamsi period (10th century A.D.) and of Kali, Dakshina Kali is very popular and is also completed in the Maratha period of Odishan known as Adyakali.3 For the spread of worship history. Being an important cultural site as well as of goddess Kali, the native rulers of Puri had the political headquarters, the native rulers tried constructed some Kali temples at Srikshetra. to develop the religious tradition through the From the religious point of view, temples of SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER - 2019 27 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review goddess Kali are also famous like other Sakta The sanctum preserves the image of shrines of Srikshetra. Those devotees who visit goddess Kali as the presiding deity of the temple. Lord Jagannatha temple of Srimandira, they also The two armed devi Kali is carved in seated do visit the Kali temples of Srikshetra. A modest posture on the pedestal. She displays khadga in attempt has been made in this article to highlight right hand and a pana patra in left hand the detailed art and architectures along with the respectively. The background slab of deity is religious importance of the extant Kali temples of decorated with the trefoil makara headed arch. Srikshetra (Puri). The image of goddess Kali is made of black chlorite. Inner walls of the sanctum are completely 1. Bedhakali Temple undecorated. The temple of Bedhakali is situated in the north- The sanctum has one doorway towards west corner inner enclosure of the Jagannatha the jagamohana. The jambs of the doorway are temple complex of Puri. This temple is built in decorated with creepers, lotus petalled designs sand stones. The temple consists of two structures and flower devices. The figures of Gaja-Lakshmi such as vimana and mukhasala. It faces to east. and navagrahas are completely absent in their Vimana respective places. A symbol of chakra is finely The vimana of the Bedhakali temple is a carved on the centre of the architrave above the navaratha rekha deula and its height is about 32 doorway lintel. feet from the surface of the temple complex. The Mukhasala structure of the vimana is erected on the platform The mukhasala of the temple is a pidha of 4 feet high. The base of the bada is square of deula and its height is about 25 feet from the 18 feet. The bada of the vimana has three fold surface of the temple complex. It is also erected divisions such as pabhaga, jangha and baranda. on the platform of 4 feet high. The base of the All the elements of the bada are devoid of bada is rectangular and it measures approximately decorative ornamentations. The central niches of 15 feet in length and 9 feet in width. The bada of the three sides of the bada are remained vacant. the mukhasala is panchanga type i.e. having The bada of the vimana is surmounted fivefold divisions such as pabhaga, tala jangha, by the curvilinear superstructure, which displays bandhana, upper jangha and baranda. All the nine pagas. All the pagas of gandi are thickly component parts of the bada are also devoid of plastered with lime mortar. So the decorative decorative ornamentations. The bada of the ornamentations of the gandi are not prominent. mukhasala is surmounted by the pyramidal Dopichha lions are fixed on the top of kanika superstructure. It consists of two potalas; the pagas of the gandi. Deula Charini figures are lower and upper potalas, which contain 3 and 2 inserted in the four cardinal directions of the beki pidhas respectively. The centre of the recess above rahas. between the two potalas in eastern side is filled with jhapa simha as the decorative element of the The mastaka of the vimana consists of gandi. Dopichha lions are fixed on the top of the beki, amalaka sila, khapuri, kalasa, ayudha kanika pagas of the gandi. Deula Charini figures (chakra) and dhvaja. are also inserted in the four cardinal directions of 28 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER - 2019 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 the beki above rahas. They are acting as the Dakshinakali plays an important role in the ‘Niti’ supporting elements of the amalaka sila of the of Saptapuri Amavasya. Pilgrims and tourists mastaka. come to visit Lord Jagannatha temple and they also visit the Dakshinakali temple of Puri town. The mastaka of the mukhasala consists of beki, ghanta above which there is another beki, Art and Architecture of the temple amalaka sila, khapuri and kalasa. Here the ayudha The temple of Dakshina Kali is a small and dhvaja are completely missing. deula and it consists of four structures such as Inner walls of the mukhasala are devoid vimana, jagamohana, natamandapa and of decorative ornamentations. The doorway of bhogamandapa. The vimana and jagamohana the mukhasala is also completely plain. Jaya and were constructed in the same period but the Vijay figures are standing on both sides of the natamandapa and bhogamandapa are added at a doorway. They are acting as the dvarapalas of later period. All these structures are erected on the temple. Both the vimana and mukhasala are the platform of 10 feet high. This temple is built in thickly plastered with lime mortar. At the time of both sand stones and bricks. It is a renovated survey, the temple was being renovated by the temple and faces to east. Archaeological Survey of India; Puri Circle. Vimana Date of the temple The vimana of the temple is a pidha deula 4 There is no authentic record with regard and its height is about 30 feet from the road level. to the exact date of the temple of Bedhakali. On The base of the bada is square of 12 feet. The the basis of the architectural features, the bada of the vimana is panchnaga type i.e. having construction period of the Bedhakali temple can five fold divisions such as pabhaga, tala jangha, be tentatively assigned to the 16th century A.D. bandhana, upper jangha and baranda. All the elements of bada are completely undecorated. 2. Dakshinakali Temple The three side central niches of the bada The temple of goddess Dakshina Kali is are housed with parsvadevata images of Nrusimhi, situated ½ km distance from the Lion’s gate of Ganesha and Varahi. They are fashioned with as Jagannatha temple towards the left side of usual attributes in hands. These parsvadevata Svargadvara road in the Dakshinakalika Sahi of images are made of black chlorite. The bada of Puri town. The temple is exactly located on the the vimana is surmounted by the pyramidal right side of the Kalikadevi lane (Dakshinakalika superstructure. It consists of nine pidhas and each sahi) branching from Bali Sahi road in Puri. is decorated with tankus in all sides. Dakshina Kali temple has important religious The mastaka of the vimana consists of associations with Lord Jagannatha. The deity is beki, ghanta (bell shaped member) above which enshrined in a modern temple at a higher raised there is another beki, amalaka sila, khapuri, platform from the road level. The Puranic tradition kalasa, ayudha (chakra) and dhvaja. asserts that in the Srikshetra or Puri, Jagannatha is Dakshina Kali Himself and hence this goddess The sanctum preserves the image of is visited by a number of devotees. Goddess goddess Dakshina Kali as the presiding deity of SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER - 2019 29 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review the temple. The presiding deity is a four armed In a niche of the inner side wall contains Durga locally known as Dakshina Kali. The image an image of Mahavira- Hanumana. The two Dakshina Kali is made of black chlorite. It handed Mahavira image has been installed on the measures approximately 1 ½ feet in height and 1 plain pedestal. His right hand displays a huge rock foot in width.5 Here goddess Dakshina Kali is (i.e. Gandhamardana parvata) and the left hand four-armed and seated on a corpse. She displays holds gada. khadga in upper right hand, akshamala in lower Lion is installed on the centre of the floor right hand, pana patra in upper left hand and a of natamandapa. It has one doorway towards the cutting or severed head in lower left hand bhogamandapa.

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