By the time we arrived at the Mukteswar Temple, the warm glow of the sun had disappeared. No matter, as the 10th century temple was something to behold in and of itself. Slightly below eye-level on the main temple were sculptures of graceful female figures, with expressive faces and careful attention to hairstyles, and jewelry. Like the Lingaraj Temple, the deul (10.3 m high) had vertical ribs. One of the more notable elements of the complex is the beautiful torana (gateway). Two female figures gently reclined on the gateway appearing to smile at those who entered through the opening. On each side was the head of an elephant-like creature, its trunk appearing to trumpet and announce the arrival of visitors. The ceiling of the jagomohan (assembly hall) was most unique, carved into a lotus with eight petals (most ceilings are plain). It reminded me more of the Jain temples I had seen in India. A bit of light still shone through the diamond-shaped latticed windows. Once again, time quickly sped by and we were asked to board the bus. Our day trip had come to an end. For me, this was the final day of my travels in Orissa. That next evening, I would be back in Chennai.See more photos of Mukteswar Temple on my Flickr page
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Mukteswar Temple is in Bhubaneshwar in Orissa, not far from the Parsurameswar Temple.
Mukteswar Temple
This distinctive 10th century temple is one of the smallest and most compact, decorated with intricate carvings and is the finest trstimonial for the architectural cognizance of Vishwakarma Moharana sculptors. There is a tank inside the compound that is still in use by devotees. Women toss coins into the tank, wishing to cure infertility. The local saint, Lakulisa is carved into the doorway.
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