Like
most of the other temples in Orissa,the Konark temple also consists of a
Vimana(main temple) intended for housing the deity,Jagamohana(hall in front of
vimana) from where the worshippers could have a glimpse of the deity and a
Nirtya-mandapa(dancing hall),but a separate Bhoga-mandapa(offering hall) was
not built at this place.Dancing and offering both were probably done in the
same building.In the Orissan architecture this type of temple is known as
pancha-ratha-dekha deul,as each of its facades are broken by five small
projections to produce an effect of light and shade on the surface and also to
create an impression of one contineous verticle line,called Rekha.
As a fact the beauty of shade and
light cannot be effected on a plain surface,was nown to the builders,as
such,the facades were broken by a number of small projections.These projections
vary from three to nine,from which they derive the names as tri-ratha (three
projections), Pancha-ratha (five projections), sapta-ratha (seven projections) or
nava-ratha (nine projections).
Since the konark temple is broken by
five projections,it is called pancha-ratha. The Jagamohana(gathering hall) stands
on the same plinth as the vimana (main temple).Its roof is of a terraced
pyramidal shape and the string cornices are separated by three tires by means
of high recesses,which contain a number of beautiful life-sized standing
figures of women in various dancing poses,Playing on different musical
instruments like drums,flutes,vina and symbals,depicting the usual customs of
offering dances,by the devadashis at the time of arati.
It has four doorways on its four
sides.The western one leads to the antarala(inner sanctum),whereas the others
lead to the porches outside.The interior is left unadorned excepting a five
feet(1.5 metre) wide ornamental chlorite block on the sides and top of the
door-way of the inner sanctum,like those fixed over the entrances to the
Jagamohana.
No regular steps were provided for
going up the tiers,as on account of religious sentiments,people were not
probably allowed to go there.In spite of that,a few stones were provided in the
rear wall above the inner sanctum for climbing up,as and when absolutely
necessary.
A huge chlorite slab,20 feet(6
metres) long,four feet(1.2 metre) high and seven feet(2 metres) deep was used
as an architrave,above the main entrance to the Jagamohana.This is made into
nine different panels representing the figures of Navagraha (Nine-Planets) and
richily ornamented.
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The
Nirtya-mandapa (dancing hall) is a big pillared hall built on a very high
plinth,in front of the Jagamohana(gathering hall) which was intended for
offering arati-nrityas(dances) by the devadashis(dancing girls) during the
poojas(worship).It stands without its roof,but its style is very likely the
same as that of the Jagamohana.The pillars and walls are eleborately carved
with dancing male and female figures in various poses,playing different kinds
of musical instruments and carrying chamaras,incense burners and pradips(lamps)
in their hands.
All the four flight of steps for the
hall do not seem to have been built at the same time,as a number of beautiful
motifs are completely overlapped by the later ones.Only the Southern one is not
built against such ornamental facade,probably being the first one,meant for
bringing the cooked offerings from the kitchen hall while others are the after
thoughts of the builders.
Since the staircase to the east side
is also built later,the images of two Gaja-Simhas(Rampant lions on elephant)
standing in front of it,were certainly not existing there in the former days.
