Shiva dol (meaning the temple of
Shiva
Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
) is a group of structures comprising three
Hindu temple
A Hindu temple, also known as Mandir, Devasthanam, Pura, or Kovil, is a sacred place where Hindus worship and show their devotion to Hindu deities, deities through worship, sacrifice, and prayers. It is considered the house of the god to who ...
s of Sivadol, Vishnudol (temple of
Vishnu
Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...
) and Devidol (temple of
Durga
Durga (, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars.
Durga's legend centres around combating evils and demonic ...
in the local Assamese language) shrines, and a museum. These are located on the banks of the Sivasagar ("the ocean of the god
Shiva
Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
") tank, also known as the
Borpukhuri tank, in the heart of
Sivasagar
{{Infobox settlement
, name = Sivasagar
, settlement_type = Metropolis
, image_skyline = Sivasagar.jpg
, image_alt = {{multiple image
, border = infobox
, total_width = 270
, image_style ...
, in the
Indian state
India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, for a total of 36 subnational entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into 800 districts and smaller administrative divisions by the respe ...
of
Assam
Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...
. The tank was constructed between 1731 and 1738 and the temples were built in 1734 by
Bar Raja Ambika, queen of
Ahom king Swargadeo
Siva Singha (1714–1744).
The height of the Sivadol (''dol'' means temple in Assamese) is and the perimeter is at the base. It is crowned with an high golden-dome.
[
]
Location
Sivasagar Sivadol is located at 26°59'18"N and 94°37'59"E, in the heart of the Sivasagar city, which was known earlier as Sibsagar
{{Infobox settlement
, name = Sivasagar
, settlement_type = Metropolis
, image_skyline = Sivasagar.jpg
, image_alt = {{multiple image
, border = infobox
, total_width = 270
, image_style ...
in the Sibsagar district
Sivasagar district (Pron: or ) is one of the 34 districts of Assam state in Northeast India. Sivasagar city is the administrative headquarters of this district. This historic place is also known for its rich biodiversity. The districts covers ...
of Upper Assam
Upper Assam is an administrative division of the state of Assam comprising the undivided Lakhimpur and Sivasagar (previously, Sibsagar) districts, of the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra valley. The other divisions are: Lower Assam, North Assa ...
in Northeast India
Northeast India, officially the North Eastern Region (NER), is the easternmost region of India representing both a geographic and political Administrative divisions of India, administrative division of the country. It comprises eight States and ...
.[
]
History
Sivsagar, present day Sivasagar, was the capital of Ahom kingdom. The Ahoms had migrated from South China
South China ( zh, s=, p=Huá'nán, j=jyut6 naam4) is a geographical and cultural region that covers the southernmost part of China. Its precise meaning varies with context. A notable feature of South China in comparison to the rest of China is ...
in 1228 and established their first capital at Charaideo from present day Sivasagar in 1253. Initially they were / Ancestor worshippers close what we see in Taoism and Shinto, and very much a part of the practices till date Buddhists
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or 5th century BCE. It is the world's fourth ...
some of the practices of Mahayana and Theravada school of thoughts, though Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
came to prevail. It was the capital of the Ahom Kingdom till the British Raj
The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani language, Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent,
*
* lasting from 1858 to 1947.
*
* It is also called Crown rule ...
was established in India. The tank was constructed between 1731 and 1738 and the temples were built in 1734 by Bar Raja Ambika, queen of Ahom king Swargadeo Siba Singha.
Sivasagar tank
The Sivsagar tank was built by Bar Raja Ambika, the chief consort of Siva Singha in 1733. A battle was fought against the Moamoria rebels In its vicinity in the reign of Gaurinath Singha.The Sivasagar tank, also known as the Borpukhuri tank, was built by constructing embankments and the water level thus created in the lake remains above the adjoining ground level. The lake has a total area of with a water spread of . It is said that the lake water remains stable throughout the year without any fluctuations even during the monsoon months. The depth of water in the lake is . Many notable structures have been built on the banks of the lake. Three Hindu temples Sivadol, Visnudol and Devidol, a Buddhist shrine and a bird watching tower to watch wintering birds visiting the area, are located on its east bank. The Tai Museum located on the west bank of the tank is built with red bricks. A church and two mosques are also located on the bank of the tank.
Sivadol
The Sivadol or Shiva temple, built in the Shikhara architecture (more specifically Ahom temple architecture), has a central tower which is said to be the tallest Shiva temple tower in India at a height of .[ The base of the temple measures in circumference.][ The temple is built with stone and bricks. Inside the ]Garbhagriha
A ''garbhagriha'' () is the innermost sanctuary of Hindu and Jain temples, often referred to as the "holy of holies" or " sanctum sanctorum".
The term ''garbhagriha'' (literally, "womb chamber") comes from the Sanskrit words ''garbha'' for ...
( sanctum sanctorum), the Shiva Linga
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, wher ...
(aniconic symbol of Shiva) is deified, which is in a reverse setting. The Shikhara
''Shikhara'' (IAST: '), a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak", refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India, and also often used in Jain temples. A ''shikhara'' over the ''garbhagriha'' chamber ...
or Vimana (temple tower), which rises above the sanctum sanctorum, has a four-tiered, ''mastaka'' and is crowned by a kalasha
A kalasha, also called Pūrṇa-Kalaśa, Pūrṇa-Kumbha, Pūrṇa-Ghaṭa, also called ghat or ghot or kumbh ( , Telugu: కలశము Kannada: ಕಳಶ literally "pitcher, pot"), is a metal (brass, copper, silver or gold) pot with a large ...
made of gold. The tower itself is built with parallel ridges and furrows. The lower part of the tower is flanked by four smaller identical towers, which are known as the ''angashikaras''. The garbagriha, where the main deity is deified in the form of a reversed Shiva linga, is interconnected with an antarala
''Antarala'' (Sanskrit: अन्तराल; ) is a small antechamber or foyer between the ''garbhagriha
A ''garbhagriha'' () is the innermost sanctuary of Hindu and Jain temples, often referred to as the "holy of holies" or " sanctum ...
, a small antechamber, which has a roof known as '' do-chala'', which is akin to a typical hut built in Assam. The antarala is also connected to one of the mandapa
A ''mandapa'' or ''mantapa'' () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture and Jain temple architecture.
''Mandapas'' are described as "open" or "closed" dependin ...
s (outdoor halls). The exterior walls of the temple are embellished with sculptures and floral designs set in Bas-relief
Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces remain attached to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb , to raise (). To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that th ...
.[
Some of the unique sculptures set on the outer walls of the temple are of the goddess ]Durga
Durga (, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars.
Durga's legend centres around combating evils and demonic ...
, which are seen carved with 2 arms, 4 arms, 6 arms, 10 arms and 16 arms. The sixteen armed Durga holding various weapons is a "pan-Himalayan" theme adopted in plastic arts
Plastic arts are art forms which involve physical manipulation of a ''plastic medium'', such as clay, wax, paint or even plastic in the modern sense of the word (a ductile polymer) to create works of art. The term is used more generally to ...
of Ahom temple architecture. Durga is depicted decimating Mahishasura
Mahishasura (, ) is a bovine asura in Hinduism. He is depicted in Hindu texts, Hindu literature as a deceitful demon who pursued his evil ways by shape-shifting. Mahishasura was the son of the asura Rambha (asura), Rambha and the brother of buf ...
, the demon king with a buffalo head, by thrusting a spear. She is riding a lion, her mount, which supports her in the fight with the demon. This feature represents the harmonious blend of Brahminical Hindu culture
Hinduism () is an umbrella term for a range of Indian religious and spiritual traditions ( ''sampradaya''s) that are unified by adherence to the concept of ''dharma'', a cosmic order maintained by its followers through rituals and right ...
with the Shaktism
Shaktism () is a major Hindu denomination in which the God in Hinduism, deity or metaphysics, metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically to be a woman.
Shaktism involves a galaxy of goddesses, all regarded as different aspects, mani ...
cult which the royalty of Ahom dynasty had adopted as their religious practice throughout their kingdom.
Visnudol and Devidol
Sivadol is surrounded by two subsidiary temples Vishnudol (spelt as Bishnudol) and Devidol which are architecturally similar to the larger Shiva temple.[ Vishnudol is dedicated to the God ]Vishnu
Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...
;[ Devidol, also known as Joidol, is a Goddess Durga temple.][ While the Vishnu temple's tower has a honeycomb design with an ornamental criss-cross framework, the Durga temple's tower is designed, in its vertical elevation, with an undulating pattern. Besides these there is a temple of Ram and Hanuman.]
Festivals
Every year, during the Mahashivaratri, a huge mela (fair) is organized in the Shiva temple and pilgrims visit from all parts of India to offer puja.
The Dol Yatra and Rath Yatra
Ratha Yatra (), or chariot festival, is any public procession in a chariot. They are held annually during festivals in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The term also refers to the popular annual Ratha Yatra of Puri that involves a public processi ...
are two annual festivals celebrated at Vishnu Dol. Durga Puja
Durga Puja (ISO 15919, ISO: , ), also known as Durgotsava or Shaaradotsava, is an annual festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which pays homage to the Hinduism, Hindu goddess Durga, and is also celebrated because of Durga's victo ...
is celebrated every year with great fervour during September–October at Devidol.[
]
References
Bibliography
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External links
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{{Hindu Temples in Assam
Hindu temples in Assam
Shiva temples in Assam
Sivasagar
Tourist attractions in Assam
Tourism in Assam
18th-century Hindu temples