Nilakantha Siva temple is located in the Kharakhia Baidyanatha temple precinct, Kharakhia Vaidyanath Sahi, Old Town,

Bhubaneswar Bhubaneswar () is the capital and the largest city of the States and territories of India, Indian state of Odisha. It is located in the Khordha district. The suburban region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as ''Chakra ...

. One can approach to this site on the left side of the Vaidyanath road leading from Lingaraja temple to Kapilesvara. This is a living temple and is facing towards the west. The enshrining deity of this temple is a

Siva lingam A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Upanishads and epic literature, where ...

within a circular yoni pitha at the centre of the sanctum sanatorium. The sanctum is 0.77 metres below the chandrasila.

Description

The temple is at Lat- 200 14’ 06"N, Long- 850 50’ 00"E, Elev 85 ft. It dates to about the 11th century AD, and faces west. It is built of

laterite Laterite is a soil type rich in iron and aluminium and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. They develop by intensive and prolo ...

using dry masonry methods. The precinct in which the temple is located is a private plot of Babulal Makaddam Badu Mohapatra, who is staying in the north-western corner of the temple precinct. Hence it is a private property. The

vimana Vimāna are mythological flying palaces or chariots described in Hindu texts and Sanskrit epics. The "Pushpaka Vimana" of Ravana (who took it from Kubera; Rama returned it to Kubera) is the most quoted example of a vimana. Vimanas are also menti ...

is of rekha deul type whereas the

jagamohana A Jagamohana (), also rendered Jagamohana () is an assembly hall in Hindu temple architecture, especially found in the region of Odisha. Overview A jagamohana is located in front of the main shrine of the temple, called the garbhagriha. It is ty ...

is inpidha deul. The temple is in use and Saivite rituals like Sivaratri, Sankranti are celebrated here. The temple is surrounded by a compound wall. The other temples within the precinct are Markandesvara and Somesvara in south, Samesvar building in west. On plan, the temple has a

and a jagamohana. Both Vimana and Jagamohana are square on plan measuring 4.00 square metres and 5.32 square metres respectively. The ganthiala measures 0.47 metres. The cella measures 1.85 square metres. The vimana is pancharatha with a central raha and a pairs of anuratha and kanika pagas on either side of the raha. On elevation, the vimana is of rekha order with usual bada, andi and mastaka that measures 8.64 metres in height from pabhaga to kalasha. The Jagamohana is of pidha order that measures 6.14 metres in height from bottom to the top. The bada of both vimana and Jagamohana is panchanga measuring 2.64 metres and 2.04 metres in height respectively. The pabhaga of the vimana measures 0.66 metres, talajangha and upara measures 0.47 metres and 0.47 metres each divided by a bandhana measuring 0.28 metres. The baranda measures 0.76 metres. The gandi and mastaka measures 4.00 metres and 2.00 metres in height respectively. The pabhaga, talajangha, bandhana, upara and baranda of the Jagamohana measures 0.47 metres, 0.42 metres, 0.20 metres, 0.46 metres and 0.49 metres in height respectively. The gandi measures 2.50 metres and mastaka 1.60 metres. The gandi has five receding tiers.

Raha niche and parsva devatas

The Parsvadevata niches are located on the raha paga of the talajangha on the three sides of east, north and south that measures 0.66 metres in height x 0.38 metres in width X 0.19 metres in depth. While the eastern and northern raha niches enshrine four armed Kartikeya and four armed Parvati. The southern niche is empty. Kartikeya standing over a lotus pedestal in tribhanga pose is holding a spear in his upper right hand, his lower right hand is broken, left two hands are resting over the cock which is resting over the right hand of the female attendant on the left side. Kartikeya has a jatamukuta and his mount peacock is broken. Parvati standing over a lotus pedestal is holding a spear in her lower left and a nagapasa in lower right hand. Her upper left and right hands are broken. There is a female attendant on the right side of the pedestal.

Decorative features

Due to the cement plaster all over the structure the decorative programme is concealed.

Door Jambs

The doorjambs of the temple (vimana and jagamohana) measures 1.67 metres in height X 1.20 metres in width. It is decorated with scroll works like patra sakha, lata sakha and puspa sakha from exterior to interior and vice versa. Each sakha measures 0.08 metres in breadth. At the base of the doorjamb Saivite dvarapalas are housed in khakhara mundi niche that measures 0.18 metres in height X 0.8 metres in width. They holds trident in their left hand and right hand is in varada mudra.

Lintel

The lintel measures 1.20 metres and in the lalatabimba

Gajalaxmi Gajalakshmi (), also spelt as Gajalaxmi, is a prominent representation of the goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu deity of wealth, prosperity, and fertility, depicted with two elephants on either side. This representation symbolises not only the divine bl ...

is seated in

lalitasana Lalitasana is a pose or mudra in Indian art and the art of dharmic religions in other countries. It is often called "the royal position" or "royal ease" in English, and is a relaxed pose typical in royal portraits and those of religious figure ...

. Above the doorjambs is a graha architrave carved with the traditional navagrahas with the iconography of the mature phase.

Style

Kalingan

State of preservation

Good/Fair/ Showing Signs of Deterioration/Advanced

Good, except for the growth of vegetation and wild grasses in all around the temple.

Condition description

Repairs and Maintenance

The temple was repaired by Orissa State Archaeology under X and XI Finance Commission Award.

Grade (A/B/C)

i) Architecture: B ii) Historic: C iii) Associational: C iv) Social/Cultural: B v) Others: —

Threats to the property

Conservation Problem and Remedies: No immediate threat except the vegetation.

Detached Sculptures

Two detached Siva ganas are there near the eastern wall of the temple. They are four armed and with jatamukuta. They hold tridents in their lower left, dambaru in lower right, abhaya mudra in upper left and upper right hand in varada mudra. There is also a broken monolithic Naga pillar near these images. It measured 1.40 metres in height with the thickness 0.60 metres.

Date of Documentation

09.09.2006

Documenter

Dr. Sadasiba Pradhan and team

References

*Lesser Known Monuments of Bhubaneswar by Dr. Sadasiba Pradhan ({{ISBN, 81-7375-164-1) *http://ignca.nic.in/asi_reports/orkhurda245.pdf Hindu temples in Bhubaneswar