INDIAN TEMPLE ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF FIVE SHAIVA TEMPLES OF EASTERN ODISHA

Abstract

The artistic techniques and architectural patterns of the Shaiva temples of coastal belt of
Odisha are the important parts of the Hindu temple art of Odisha in Eastern India. The earlier art
historians and senior scholars had outlined the art and architecture of some notable temples of Eastern
Odisha like Sun temple, Sovanesvara temple, Jagannatha temple , Lingaraj temple, Muktesvara temple
,Madhavananda temple , Mangala, temple, Varahi temple, etc. The extant temples of Eastern Odisha
possess the features of Kalinga style of temple architecture of Odisha. Really, some Shaiva temples of
the eastern part of Odisha have to be discussed here are very important considering their religious
significance and artistic techniques. In fact, the artistic features and architectural patterns of the five
Shaiva temples of Eastern Odisha draw the attention of scholars, art historians and archaeologists to
commence the research work. The five Shaiva temples taken here for discussion are such as 1.
Trilochaneshvara Temple at Sadansa, 2. Brahmeshvara temple at Brahmana-sailo, 3. Bateshvara
temple at Khandala, 4. Balunkeshvara temple at Orei, and 5. Dakshineshvara temple at Kunja. The aim
of this article is to focus on artistic techniques / designs, architectural features along with the religious
significance of the above five Shaiva temples of Eastern Odisha. Methodologically, both the primary
and secondary sources have been used for the writing of the present article