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| Vaitaḷa deuḷa, Bhubaneswar Odisha upload.wikimedia.org |
Above image; A 8th century Hindu temple, Vaitaḷa Deula - Chamunda temple in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. This temple has strange, but terrifying features associated with tantric worship. image. Prateek Pattanaik,
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| Vaitaḷa deuḷa.Bhubaneswar,en.wikipedia org |
Above image: Vaitaḷa Deuḷa, Chamunda Temple, Bhubaneswar of Odisha A pediment in one of the sides of the temple depicting Shiva in a sitting position. Image: Benjamín Preciado
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| Vaitaḷa deuḷa Bhubaneswar, en.wikipedia |
Vaitaḷa deuḷa or Baitala deuḷa, a 8th-century Hindu temple typical built in Khakara style, dedicated to Goddess Chamunda is in Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Orissa, India. This is also locally known as "Tini Mundia Mandira". It was built by Queen Tribhuvana Mahadevi of Bhauma Kara dynasty.
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| Vaitaḷa deuḷa Bhubaneswar, bhubaneswartourism.in/ |
Baitaḷa Deuḷa or Vaitaḷa deuḷa Temple’s impressive feature is the shape of its sanctuary tower. About the semi-cylindrical shape of its roof, it is a leading example of Khakhara order of temples that are similar to those of the Dravidian Gopuram of South Indian temples. Its gobbled towers with a row of Shikharas suggest possible southern influence. The deula-tower is oblong in plan, but the Jaga mohan is a rectangular structure; embedded in each angle is a small subsidiary shrine. Baitala deuḷa has some delicate figures, but in relief.
Panels of Hindu deities, mostly Shiva and his consort Parvati in her Shakti form on the outer wall are unique.They also include hunting processions, capturing of wild elephants and occasional erotic couples.
Above the facade of the deuḷa (tower) left of the Jagamohana there are two Chaitya windows - the lower one with well carved figure of Sun God (Surya) with Usha (Dawn) and Pratyusha shooting arrows on either side and with Aruna in front, driving a chariot of seven horses. These features are normally associated with the Sun God in the Hindu text books.
The sculpture in the upper Chaitya window has a 10-armed Nataraja in dancing posture. In front of the flat roofed Jagamohana there is a stone post carvings of two Buddha like figures seated in Dharma-Chakra-Pravartana mudra.
An interesting aspect is the temple's Tantric (occult) associations, marked by eerie carvings in the sanctum (garbhagriha). The eight armed Chamunda is locally known as Kapaḷini, a ferocious form goddess Durga. Obviously, the Baitaḷa Deuḷa is a Shakti shrine dedicated to shakti .
The presiding deity is Chamunda or Charchika sits on a corpse flanked by a jackal and an owl and is decorated with a garland of skulls. She holds a snake, bow, shield, sword, trident, thunderbolt and an arrow and is piercing the neck of the demon. The niche is capped by a chaitya window containing seated figures of Shiva and Parvati. Tantric worship is normally common in such shrines as in the Devi temples of Kerala state.
There is a stone post on the temple premises for sacrificial offerings there either chained or tied before the shrine. The tantric character of the temple is well highlighted in many parts. Though they are imaginary, the temple reveals the tantric aspects that are quite mind-boggling and terrifying.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baitala_Deula
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 in Khakara style, Bhubaneswar, Odisha - Tantrik (Occult) worship followed here. ){kind=link}