Narasimha Temple is a 14th–15th-century

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

temple in

Bhubaneswar Bhubaneswar () is the capital and the largest city of the States and territories of India, Indian state of Odisha. It is located in the Khordha district. The suburban region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as ''Chakra ...

city of the

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peoples o ...

state of

Odisha Odisha (), formerly Orissa (List of renamed places in India, the official name until 2011), is a States and union territories of India, state located in East India, Eastern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by ar ...

. The time period of its construction is estimated from its architectural features. Its tradition and legends are same as the Gosagaresvara temple. It is situated in the precinct of Gosagaresvara on the southeastern side of Gosagaresvara Shiva and Paradaresvara Shiva temples. The presiding deity is a four armed

Narasimha Narasimha (, , or , ), is the fourth avatara of the Hindu god Vishnu in the Satya Yuga. He incarnated as a part-lion, part-man and killed Hiranyakashipu, ended religious persecution and calamity on earth, and restored dharma. Narasimha has th ...

image seating on a pedestal. His upper left hand holding a

conch Conch ( , , ) is a common name of a number of different medium-to-large-sized sea snails. Conch shells typically have a high Spire (mollusc), spire and a noticeable siphonal canal (in other words, the shell comes to a noticeable point on both ...

, upper right hand holds a disk while in his major left and right hand are busy in killing the demon. The base of the pedestal is carved with series of females, in anjalii mudra. The cella measures 1.15 square metres and is facing towards west.

Physical description

Surroundings

The temple surrounded by Sanisvara Siva temple in west, Paradaresvara Siva and Gosagaresvara Siva temple in the north western corner and Isanesvara in the north eastern corner.

Orientation

The temple is facing towards west.

Architectural features (plan and elevation)

The temple stands over a low pista. On plan, temple is pancharatha with a square vimana measuring 2.10 square metres and a frontal porch of 0.40 metres. On elevation, temple is in pidha order with usual bada, gandi and mastaka measuring 3.38 metres in height from bottom to top. The bada measuring 1.28 metres has threefold divisions in which pabhaga measures 0.38 metres, jangha 0.73 metres and baranda measures 0.27 metres in height. The gandi measures 1.15 metres and the mastaka 0.95 in height.

Condition of the temple

The temple was repaired by the Orissa State Archaeology under X and XI Finance Commission Award and presently maintained by the locals living around the temple. At the moment the temple is in a good state. Detached sculptures of a four armed

Ganesha Ganesha or Ganesh (, , ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva (Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in the Ganapatya sect. His depictions ...

and a

lingam A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or Aniconism, aniconic representation of the Hinduism, Hindu Hindu deities, god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Up ...

made of sandstone are there inside the sanctum.

References

* Lesser Known Monuments of Bhubaneswar by Dr. Sadasiba Pradhan ({{ISBN, 81-7375-164-1) * http://ignca.nic.in/asi_reports/orkhurda009.pdf Hindu temples in Bhubaneswar Narasimha temples