September - October 2011 Orissa Review Goddess Kichakeswari Temple at Khiching Balabhadra Ghadai 150 Kms away from Baripada, the headquarters The Bhanja Kings were devout worshippers of of Mayurbhanj District and 25 Kms from Sakti as borne by the fact that Kichakeswari Karanjia, the Sub-Divisional headquarters is (Khijingeswari) or Chamunda was the tutelary situated at modern Khiching (Khijinga Kotta), the deity of the Bhanja dynasty. Several images of ancient capital city of the Bhanja Kings from about Durga, Mahisasuramardini and Saptamatruka the middle of the ninth bear evidence of the century AD. to the middle popularity of Saktism. of the twelfth century AD. It lies between 21.50 The existing temple of degree north latitude and Goddess Kichakeswari is 85.50 degree east latitude not the original one. It was near the confluence of the during the rule of Maharaja rivers Khairibhandana and Purna Chandra Bhanja Deo Kantakhairi. This that a systematic wonderful land of excavation of the Thakurani fascinating beauty and a compound was first started long tradition of art and by Raibahadur Rama architecture, exquisite Prasad Chand, who had temples and historical been deputed for the monuments speak volumes purpose by Sir John of its past glory. Marsal at the request of the Maharaja. Mr. Chand The religious during excavation of the history of the Bhanja Kings Thakurani compound in of Khiching is 1922-24 came across the cosmopolitan, for foundation of a great temple Buddhism, Jain ism and other cults flourished side which measured 35’ square at the base. by side with Hinduism. The worship of the Panchadevata, namely Vishnu, Siva, Surya, This foundation represented an old Ganapati and Sakti were widely prevalent here. temple’s vestiges which had long since 27 Orissa Review September - October 2011 disappeared in the limbo of history. The installation asked Mr. Page to make a plan for a simple of Goddess Kichakeswari on the ruins on an structure of Indo-Aryan style. Since it was earthen platform was an impromptu affair decided to use the doorjamb, door lintel and three accomplished at a time when the circumstances images on the three niches of the old temple in were quite unfavorable. Chanda observed two the proposed new temple, the Khandiya deula things: (i) the old temple had enshrined a life-size (ruined temple) was demolished. Therefore, the image of Hara with many other life- size images idea to arrange a plan / design was mooted. The as Parsadevatas / Parivaradevatas and weak foundation of the old temple was considered Dwarapals (now preserved in the site Museum) unsuitable for erecting the proposed new and (ii) the temple had collapsed due to weak structure. The Administrative report of 1933-34 foundation. It was quite unbearable for the Bhanja informs that the Maharaja was in favour of ruler, Maharaja Purna Chandra that the family building a temple of Khiching style. deity was being worshipped in a provisional structure. There was no dearth of material. In 1924-25 the construction of a new Standing on the ruins of the Thakurani’s compound temple for Goddess Kichakeswari was proposed it was quite natural for the king to search for and and accordingly J.A. Page gave a plan of Indo- think of the possible ways and means to restore Aryan style of temple design. As the style of the the monuments besides providing a temple for the Khiching temples were different from that of family deity. The Report on the Administration of temples of Bhubaneswar, it was decided by the Mayurbhanj 1923-24, p.81 para 5 clearly Maharaja to have a design of a temple of Khiching records. style. The first thing the Maharaja did was to build a site museum for the better preservation of “Foundations of the original temple in sculptures for which a large plot of land was which the God Siva was enshrined have been acquired to extend the temple compound and to traced. Over the shrine of the original temple fence it with wire. The non-descript brick temple stands small brick-built temple wherein the of the Goddess was demolished and removed Goddess Kichakeswari is at present enshrined. from the compound. The Goddess was put in a At the request of the people of the locality, the newly constructed shed till a proper temple was Maharaja (Purna Chandra Bhanj Deo) with his built. brother, the Chhotrai Saheb (Pratap Chandra Bhanj Deo) visited the shrine on the 24th January Due to tragic death of Maharaja Purna 1924 and promised to restore the original temple.” Chandra Bhanj Deo in 1928 the progress in the matter was delayed for a few years and ultimately In his conservation note J.A. Page, Babu Sailendra Prasad Bose, the Archaeological Assistant Superintendent of the Archaeological Supervisor of the department made the design Survey of India, Central Circle, suggested that on the data obtainable from the existing temple the brick-built shrine of the Thakurani be removed and his design finally received the approval of the from the compound as its ugliness did not conform Maharaja. This challenge of Mr. Bose was to the surroundings. The demolition of the shrine formidable one demanding hard work, dedication, would make construction of a new shrine perfect skill, integrity and leadership. The work imperative, he wrote. At the request of the for the temple began before the close of the 1933- Maharaja the Director General of Archaeology 34 financial years and completed by the end of 28 September - October 2011 Orissa Review 1941. The deity was installed on 14th March The Goddess is seated on a lotus issuing 1942 amidst pomp and ceremony. The height of from the naval of Purusa. Over the head and back the temple measured 68’ above the ground level of the Goddess rises the figure of Airavata. On and a sum of Rs.80,000/- was spent in its other side of her crown there is a serpent with reconstruction and conservation. uplifted hood. Of the eight hands the left ones are in Abhaya and Varada poses and hold rosaries The temple in its restored form also and a head where as two right hands hold a adheres to the Orissan Rekha type of architecture dambaru and a cup, the other two being with a peculiarity of its own i.e. absence of a completely damaged. porch. It is otherwise a Pancharatha temple consisting of five pages (Pilasters). The sanctuary Thus the temple of Goddess is square in the ground plan, rectangular parallelo- Kichakeswari is a priceless embodiment of piped from above the base, and surrounded by a superb charm and inimitable grace, and occupies curvilinear tower. The original temple was built in a significant place among the famous monuments the tenth century A.D. and as such it is almost a of Orissa like Konark, Puri and Bhubaneswar as contemporary of the Brahmesvar and Lingaraj a sacred sanctuary of religious activities and the temples at Bhubaneswar. Goddess Kichakeswari in the form of eight- armed Chamunda of Sakta pantheon stands The image of Kichakeswari, now being gloriously betokening the heyday of royal dignity worshipped at the main temple at Khiching is the and aristocracy. grim figure of the Goddess Chamunda. This figure, although broken in three parts has been joined together and inspires awe and fear among the devotees. According to N.N Vasu this image is one of the forms of Bhima, the emaciated body disclosing a hideous skeleton with the bones and Balabhadra Ghadai, Principal, M.K. College, Khiching, ribs all laid bare. Mayurbhanj. Genius does not argue, it creates. – Rabindranath Tagore 29.