#ttemple

Parsurameshvara temple  is  Hindu  temple  dedicated to Lord Shiva and located in  the  east  of  Bhubaneshwar , capital  city of  Odisha.  The  time  when the temple was  built was  around 650 CE. When it  is  about  temples  there are many styles of  temples   that  have  been found  all over India, one  of  which is  Nagara style.

Nagar  style  was  that temple style  that  was  found prevelant in  Northern  India. Parsurameshvara   temple comes under Nagara style and covers several  features of  Kalinga  architecture.  Kalinga is  a type of  architecture that was practised in  Kalinga which is  the ancient name  of  Odisha.

The architecture  of  Parasurameshvara temple is  wonderful in itself.  There  is  vimana(called  the  sanctum)  and  a  bada(a curvillinear  spire over the  roof). The interior  and  exterior measurements of  the  vimana  are 9.88 by 9.75 ft  and 19.75 by 21 ft  respectively.  There is a  stone  disk called Amlaka placed on  the  top of bada  in  Parsurameshvara  temple.

Parsurameshvara  temple  is  considered to  be  the  first  temple to  have  a  jagamohan  in  it. The  roof of  Jagamohan has  a row of windows. The  measurement of  jagamohan is 24.94 by 18.33 ft  from inside and 29.33 by 28.58 ft from outside and is  rectangular in  shape. There is  a  junction that  comes in between vimana and  jagamohan which  is  not properly made. There  are  windows  with small peices of  glass  found in  the temple  and  when  light  enters the  temple and   passes  through  the doors and  windows,  the place  gets spectacularly  lighted. 

There  are  some  stone  sculptures showing  musicians  and  dancers. Apart  from  this  there is  an  image  of   Mahishasurmardini in the  temple. Here,  Mahishasurmardini is  shown  with  a  headdress, karna kundala (an ornament), mala ( garland)  and  a konkana(anklet).  She is  shown  with  a  sword  in  her left hand  and  is  shown with  a  trident.

Different  images  showing forms  of  Shiva like   Ardhanarishwar , image of  Shiva and  Parvati  together, images of  Ganga, Yamuna, Vishnu, Indra, Surya, Yama,  have  also been found  in  the  temple  so  far.  On  southern  wall  of  the  temple, there is a sculpture work  representing a picture of  Kartikeya on  a peacock. There are images of  vetalas (ghosts)  ,nagas, nagins  found  on  jagamohan and  vimana of  Parsurameshvara  temple.

The  main  topic  on  which most  of  the  images are  carved on the vimana focus on  are moments  of  pilgrimage.  Temples  like  Parsurameshvara and Rajarani  temple are  a  clear  representation  of  the  history of  Devdasi tradition  that  was  prevalent  during  7th  and  8th  centuries CE.