Study on Kalinga Style Architecture of Three New Shaiva Temples of the Undivided Puri District of Odisha

Abstract

The artistic features and architectural patterns of the Shaiva temples of Puri district are the vital parts of the Hindu temple art of Odisha in India. The coastal region of Odisha is famous in Eastern India for its Hindu monuments. The earlier art historians had documented the art and architecture of some notable temples of coastal belt of Odisha like Lingaraj temple, Sun temple, Jagannatha temple, Sovanesvar temple, Madhavananda temple, Muktesvara temple, Varahi temple, etc., but some minor
temples of the undivided Puri district have not been dealt by them. Among all the extant Shaiva temples of the undivided Puri district, three new temples have been taken here for the scholarly discussion. These three Shaiva temples are such as 1. Balunkesvar temple of Paitabarai, 2. Uttaresvara temple of Annasara and 3. Akhandalesvara temple of Srirampur. All the above three Shaiva temples represent the pidha type of the Kalinga style temple architecture of Odisha. Some of the good sculptures of medieval and modern period are also noticed in these Shaiva shrines. The aim of this article is to focus on the artistic designs, architectural features along with the religious significance of the above three Shaiva temples of the undivided Puri district of Odisha in India.