Kutaitundi Temple

Less affected by the iconoclastic frenzy of the early Muslim invaders, Orissa retained its series of temples representing the three principal stages of evolution of the nagara style of the region: Early, transitional and mature. The Kutaitundi Temple in Khiching bears testimony to the style enforced during that period. The building style of the temple bore similarity to the styles of other regions with the "deul" or the local name of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, distinguishing it from its other sections. The "triratha" or the three chariots was in plan at the forefront. The perpendicular wall section of the chariot called the "bara" or the supporting wall had a vedibandha or a supporting structure surrounding the wall (pabhaga in oriya) of three (subsequently four) moldings. The moldings were probably in the shape of a "jangha" resembling the human thigh with a niche on each of its ratha facets and a baranda composed of a recessed frieze between the two moldings. The gently curved shikhara or the steeple of the temple rose in bhumi stages, each bhumi being demarcated by a square bhumi-amalaka. The mastaka or the head that represents the topmost layer of the temple, when found complete, showed a beki (short cylindrical neck), a flattened amalaka, a low khapuri (skull-like member) and a cylindrical (later kalasha) finial. The deul, though alone initially, was complemented sometime later by an oblong mukhashala or a face like structure. The niches on the jangha of the deul contained images of family members and manifestations of the deity enshrined. On the door lintel of the sanctum, a panel of eight grahas (planets) was carved. All the adornments, including the figure sculptures, were done in bas relief. The Parashurameshvara at Bhubaneswar, the Kutaitundi at Khiching and the Lingaraja at Bhawanipur are some of the temples bearing these features.