User:Saidarsan.p/Patalesvara Siva Temple -III

Pataleswar Siva Temple

Location: Lat- 20° 14’ 26" N., Long- 85° 50’ 05" E., Elev- 71 ft. Patalesvara Siva Temple is situated on the left side of the Lingaraja temple eastern gateway and it is situated on the Mandir Chowk of Old Town area in Bhubaneswar. The temple is facing towards east and the presiding deity is a circular yonipitha with a Siva-lingam. The temple is made of sandstone. The sanctum is 2.59 mtrs. below the present road level which is provided with seventeen steps leading down the sanctum.The temple has got multiple ownership. Now it is partially used for the purpose of store house of the Puja Panda.

Approximate date 13th century A.D. Property Type of the temple is Building.The temple is surrounded by road in east, compound wall of Lingaraja temple on its west at a distance of 1.85 mtrs., and Mahakala and Mahakali temple on its southern side through the eastern gateway of Lingaraja temple at a distance of 55 mtrs. The temple is facing towards east. On plan, the temple has a vimana and a frontal porch measuring 3.50 square mtrs. On elevation, the temple is buried up to bada. Only the gandi is visible that measures 3.00 mtrs in height and mastaka is 0.70 mtrs..

Decorative features
The doorjambs are decorated with three vertical bands that measures 1.55 mtrs in height x 0.74 mtrs in width. At the base of the doorjamb, there are two dvarapala niches measuring 0.36 mtrs in height, 0.17 mtrs in width, the enshrining deities of these niches are Saivite dvarapala holding trident in left hand and the right hand is in varada mudra. At the lalatabimba, there is a Gajalaxmi image seated in lalitasana over a lotus, The image is flanked by elephants, who are pouring water upon the deity.The building material is sand stone. The temple is buried up to the bada portion. The dvarapala niches are broken and the graha panel is eroded. Cracks in the roof through which rain water percolates. Since the temple sanctum is situated 2.59 mtrs below the present road level rain water stagnates inside the sanctum in rainy seasons. The offering water is manually removed as the pranala is chocked.