The Mukteshwar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva in the temple city of Bhubaneswar, is a delightful expression of Odiyan architecture. The 10 century edifice is a landmark of sorts in the development of Hindu temples in Odisha since it marked the beginning of a period of experimentation in architectural designs. The amalgam of approaches borrowed from earlier periods culminated in a style that came to be distinctively Odiyan. The temple exudes magnificence and delicacy and signifies the transitional phase of Odiyan architecture between the initial and later stages of Kalinga architectural style. Kalinga kings sought to glorify themselves through building temples in the region. They replaced the Gupta period elliptically curved shikharas or towers with a perpendicular prismatic shape. The distinguishing feature of Odisha temples came to be observed in the vertical profile of the tower that converged only near the apex, towards the circular kalasha. These aspects are observable in Mukteshwar.
The Mukteshwar temple is also a rare example of a shrine planned and built without subsequent additions as was the practice in earlier times. The square jaganmohana or porchwith its pyramid-shaped roof is built lower than the tower of the sanctum sanctorum. The tower or shikhara is composed of five storeys and the pidha superstructure is in the shape of a stepped pyramid and is bedecked with four Natarajas and four kirthimukhas on the four faces.
35-ft. above groundThough small and compact in size, the temple reflects a perfect harmony of sculpture and architecture. It is best known for its elegant proportions, its extraordinary architectural conceptualisation and above all, its exquisite torana or stone archway, and ceiling with eight-petal lotus inside its porch. The earthy red sandstone west-facing temple that rises 35 ft. above ground is encrusted with intricate carvings of ascetics in meditative poses and women adorned with jewellery, bearing testimony to the artistic prowess of the Vishwakarma Moharana sculptors of the times.
We enter its portal through a torana or arched gateway thatreveals the influence of Buddhist architectural style and boasts twin thick pillars embellished with strings of beads and various ornaments carved on statues of women in languorous repose. The carvings on the archway range from elaborate scrolls to animal figures, its front and back having similar portrayals. The torana stands detached from the temple structure and comprises twin pillars that support an arch within a semicircular pediment. The arch has intricate sculptures on it, predominant among which is an image of the fabled lion-head with open jaws, flanked by attendants. This image finds place in later temple constructions of Orissa.
Massive roofThe temple with its porch stands on a low plinth within a low octagonal compound wall with offset projections that is based on the lines of structures built in the bygone times. The porch, however, has a massive roof in the shape of a pyramid – a “first” in temple construction of the times which had the conventional two-tier structure. The vertical and horizontal lines are so arranged as to give it a taller look than it actually is. The walls of the porch with diamond-shaped lattice windows portray enchanting scenes of frolicking monkeys. Episodes from the Panchatantra find place on the temple walls with every minute detail carved to utmost precision. A number of the carved images including the lion-head motif appear for the first time in Odiyan temple architecture.
