khiching temple ||kichakeswari temple||mayurbhanj ||

Описание: Kishakeshwari Temple (Odia: କୀଚକେଶ୍ଵରୀ ମନ୍ଦିର) is temple of Hindu Goddess Chamunda alias Kali located in Khiching, which was the ancient capital of the Bhanja rulers, located about 205 km from Balasore and 150 km from Baripada in the Mayurbhanj district of north Orissa.
The largest temple of the town is dedicated to Goddess Kichakeswari, the family goddess of the ruling chiefs of Mayurbhanj. The Goddess Kiscakeshwari was not only which was not only ishtadevata of Bhanj dynasty but also the State deity.[3] The original temple dates back to 7th or 8th Century, with repairs done over the centuries.

The main temple opens to devotees early at 5 a.m. and closes down at 10 pm. It, however, remains closed between 12 noon to 3 pm.

Architecture

The temple, made of chlorite, is architecturally brilliant and well carved from its outer surface. This temple is one of the most impressive temple of Kalinga architecture. The style of the temple is contemporary of the Brahmeshwara and the Lingaraj temples of Bhubaneswar. Height of the temple is 100 feet (30 m) and total area is 1,764 square feet (163.9 m2).

The original temple was built somewhere in the 7th or the 8th century old and was in bad shape as it had fallen in hands of vandals. However, the erstwhile and last ruler of Princely State of Mayurbhanj, Maharaja Pratap Chandra Bhanj Deo was appalled of its state. He rehabilitated and reconstructed the temple in the year 1934 spending an approximate amount of Rs. 85,000, taking care not to disturb original sculptures of Parasvadevatas, the Chaitya arches, the amorous couples, the scroll works and the arabesques, which can still be seen in the original portions of the temple.

The temple is made up of black chlorite which faces towards the east and consists of rekha vimana and stands over a high platform of 1.20 meters. The interior is single roomed where the Goddess deity is present and worshipped. The exteriors of temple is highly decorated, with magnificent sculptors like nayakas, naga-nagin, Ganesha, Kirtimukha, Khakharamundi and other divine god and goddess. The huge pillars sculpted with Nagin are unique heritage of this temple.

Inside the complex there is a well preserved brick structure known as Itamundhi.

Iconography

The shrine contains a large ten-armed fearsome skeletal image of Chamunda-Kali with striking veins, ribs and sunken belly, wearing a garland of skulls and seated over a dead body.
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