Rajarani Temple is an 11th-century Hindu temple located in Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha (Orissa previously), India. The temple is originally believed to be known as Indreswara and locally known as love temple on account of the erotic carvings of women and couples in the temple. Rajatemple is built on pnahcratha style on a raised platform with two structures; a central shrine namely the vimana (sanctum) with the bada (the curvilinear spire) over its roof raising up to a height of 18 m (59 ft) and a viewing hall called jagamohana with a pyramidal roof . The temple was constructed of dull red and turbid yellow sandstone locally called Rajarani. Various historians place the original construction date between the 11th and 12th centuries and have placed it roughly belonging to the same period of the Jagannath Temple at Puri. The architecture of other temples in central India is believed to have originated from the temple, with the notable ones being the Khajuraho temples and Totesvara Mahadeo temple in Kadawa. The are various sculptures in the walls around the temple and the vimana depicting scenes of marriage of Shiva, Nataraja, Parvati, tall slender sophisticated nayikas depicted in various roles and moods such as turning her head from an emaciated ascetic, fondling her child, holding a branch of tree, attending to her toilet, looking into mirror, taking off her anklet, caressing her pet bird and playing instrument. Rajarani temple is maintained by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) as a ticketed monument.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 11:58:38 +0000
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