SUBSIDIARY TEMPLES IN THE COMPOUND
SUBSIDIARY TEMPLES IN THE
COMPOUND
An Earlier Sun Temple
The remains of a temple, came to view to south-west ofthe
Konark temple after clearance ofsand. Facing the east the temple
made of khondalite consists of a deula, Jagamohana and a
projecting platform on the east. Of the temple, only a portion of
the bada survives and superstructures of both deula and jagamohan
are completely missing. Originally however, as in an Orissan
temple, the deula had a curvilinear super structure and the
jagamohana had a pyramidal roof. Both the structures rise over a
pitha consisting ofthree ornamented mouldings.
The deula approximately 8.53m square is Saptaratha in plan.
The bada evidently had five divisions, but now only the pabhaga
and a portion oftala jangha survive. The pabhaga consists offive
moulding. Beneath the raha niches are elongated Khakhra mundis
flanked by a Naga and Nagi stambha having gaja-simha motif at
the bottom. The image in the western mundi represents a six┬м
armed Nataraja, while on the north and south the niches house
amorous couples.
The lower jangha of the deula is embellished with kakhara
mundi motif. In the corner niches were eight dikpalas of which
only Agni remains in situ on the south-east. In the mundis ofthe
anartha niches there were various figures of which an image of
Surya partially survives on the north side.
Two parsva - devata images of Surya are in situ in the south
and north. The western niche apparently had an image of the
Sun god but was empty at the time of clearance of debris. The
chlorite image of Surya in the south is now without its head and
arms. Surya stands on lotus pedestal. The image, except for hisdrapery and ornaments, looks stiff and inartistic. The Sun god
Bhaskar, on the north is seated on the back of horse. He wears a
jeweled crown, but his arms are also missing.
Like the deula, the jagamohana is also Saptaratha in plan.
The Jagamohana stands in front of the deula and is part of one
architectural scheme. The Kapili or junction connecting the two
structures is decorated with three vertical projections with image
of Surya on the north and alasa kanyas in the flanking riches.
The pabhaga of the jagamohana is composed of the usual
five mouldings. In the kanika and anartha, the Khakhara mundis
carry amorous figures and alasa kanyas. These are flanked by
Naga and Nagi pilasters having at the base gaja simha motifs.
The jangha is divided into two registers by a bandhana of
five mouldings. The upperjangha is missing. In place ofthe NagaNagi pilasters of the pabhaga, the Kanika and anartha have
Khakhara mundis flanked on either side by alasa kanya pilaster
with kalasa contain dikapala images such as Yama, Varuna, Vayu,
Kubera and Ishan. The anartha niches contained grahas ofwhich
Rahu and Ketu are still in situ. The recesses between the rathas
contain Gaja-vyalas. The jagamohana is provided with two
balustrade windows on the north and south. The four balusters of
each window are decorated with graceful female figures. Beneath
each window an elongated khakra mundi is placed in the pabhaga.
In front of the Jagamohan there is a rectangular platform
which seems to have been added in the mid thirteenth century. It
is approximately of the same height as the pitha of the temple.
Its fa9ade on the north and south is decorated with tiny khakhara
and vajra mundis with mithuna motifs in their niches. The khakhara
mundis in the front, on either side ofthe flight ofsteps, contain in
their niches two dvarapalas. Stylistically the figures ofthe platform
resemble those of the Sun temple of Narasimha-I. The pillars
flanking the main entrance are partially preserved.
