Kapilesvara Temple

The Kapilesvara Siva temple is a Lord Siva temple located in village Kapilesvara, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India. This east facing temple is at the end of Kapilesvara road which leads from Lingaraj temple to Kapilesvara Village. The deity is in the form of a Siva-lingam at the center of a circular. It is a living temple that has all the rituals necessary for a Shiva linga.It is looked after by Kapilesvara Temple Trust Board.There are 33 other monuments within its massive precincts.

The whole ancient temple was renewed with the building materials used in the olden temple. Vimana (shrine) measuring 11.40 metres in height along with jagamohana (the structures that took shape in stone)is present in the temple.Nata-mandira is the place reserved for staging plays and dramas or the recreation centre while bhoga-Mandapa is the abode earmarked for offering food to the deity. The lower potala comprises of five tiers while the upper poatala has four tiers in pyramidal elevation.

The other deities called parsvadevata located on the three sides of north, west and south have the idols of Parvati, Kartikeya and Ganesa respectively. The area below the niche is adorned with a series of Khakhara mundis which are pumpkin shaped heads, bordered by naga (idols resembling female and male snakes) pilasters. Striking details underneath the niche can be observed with additional symbols of gods and goddesses engraved at the center of the pilaster and in the alcoves.A four armed Kartikeya standing in tribhanga pose over a lotus pedestal with his major left hand having a cock ,another of his right hand in varadamudra (This mudra represents charity, compassion and boon granting) and upper left hand holding a cattle drum with the upper right hand holding a trident is present in the western raha niche.A hair-do, hair organized in long braids tied around which is upstretched into a cone shaped form similar to a crown is called jatamukuta. It’s height is about 1 1, 2 times the length of the face (e.g idols of Shiva, Brahma). It crows the image and at the corners there are hovering Vidyadharas which are a class of dominant beings supposed to live in the snowy mountains of north India having numerous supernatural powers derived from their mastery of magical powers.Some of them are longevity, the ability to fly or to change shape. As perv the legends, they were believed to have been guardians of tantric knowledge. Figurines of some ardent male worshipers are also present at the base of pedestal.

At the Lalatabimba ,Gajalakshmi is seated in lalitasana above a lotus pedestal,holding lotus in her both hands. Two elephants are pouring water on the deity above the lotus. There are two pidha mundi slots that house Saivate dvarapalas together with river goddesses Ganges and Yamuna mounted over their respective mounts At the base of the doorjambs and beneath the dvara sakhas.