| Somesvara Siva temple | |
| Map Type: | India Odisha |
| Coordinates: | 20.235°N 85.8333°W |
| Country: | India |
| State: | Odisha |
| Locale: | Bhubaneswar |
| Elevation M: | 26 |
| Deity: | Mahishamardini |
| Architecture: | Kalingan Style (Kalinga Architecture) |
| Year Completed: | 11th century A.D. |
The Somesvara Siva temple is located in the Kharakhia Baidyanath temple precinct in Kharakhia Vaidyanath Sahi, Old Town, of Bhubaneswar. It is located approximately 300 metres south of Lingaraja temple. Visitors may approach the site on the left side of Baidyanath Road leading from Lingaraja temple to Kapilesvar. It is a living temple and faces towards the west. The enshrined deity of this temple is a Siva lingam within a circular yonipitha at the center of the sanctuary located 0.93 metres below the chandrasila. The temple is under the care and maintenance of Babulal Makaddam Badu Mohapatra, the chief priest of the temple, on whose private land the temple stands.
Single.
Private.
Babulal Makaddam Badu Mohapatra
Kharakhia Baidyanath Sahi, Old Town, Bhubaneswar
10th/11th century A.D.
Architectural features like trianga bada and fourfold pabhagamouldings, kani being absent.
Precinct
Temple.
Vimana is in rekha deul whereas jagamohana is of pidhadeul.
In use.
Living temple.
Worshipped.
Rituals like Sivaratri, Sankranti and Mahavishuva-Sankranti are celebrated.
Within the precinct the temple is surrounded byMarkandesvara temple in the east at a distance of 1.60 metres, Nilakantha Siva temple in northwithin a distance of 15 metres and the compound wall in the western and southern sides.
The temple is facing towards west.
On plan, the temple has a vimana and ajagamohana. The vimana is pancharatha having a central raha distinguished by pairs of253anuratha and kanika paga on either side of the raha. The vimana measures 4.40 squaremetres and jagamohana measures 6.20 square metres. On elevation, the vimana is of rekhaorder and jagamohana is in pidha order as usual in Orissan temples, having bada, gandiand mastaka. With threefold division of the bada of the vimana has a trianga bada measuring3.18 metres in height. At the bottom, the pabhaga has four base mouldings of khura, kumbha,pata and basanta that measures 0.84 metres in height, Jangha measures 1.57 metres in heightand baranda measuring 0.77 metres with a thick of has three mouldings. The gandi and mastakameasures 4.00 metres and 2.00 metres in height respectively. The bada of Jagamohana measures2.30 metres having trianga bada. Pabhaga, jangha and baranda measures 0.71 metres, 1.09metres, and 0.50 metres in height respectively. The gandi and mastaka of the jagamohanameasures 2.50 metres and 1.20 metres.
Parsvadevata niches located on the raha paga of the jangha on the three sides of north,south and east measuring 0.94 metres in height, 0.66 metres in width and 0.31 metres in depth areempty except the northern niche that enshrines a beautiful standing image of Parvati withbroken hands.
Beneath the raha niche has tala garbhika decoration and in the western rahapaga there is a gajakranta at the center of the gandi. Besides this the bada and gandi of the temple are devoid of decorations. Doorjamb: The doorjambs of vimana andjagamohana are decorated with three plainvertical bands. That measures 1.83 metres in heightand 1.32 metres in width. At the base of thedoorjambs, there are a dvarapala nichessurmounted by chaitya motifs. The nichesmeasuring 0.36 metres in height, 0.18 metres in widthand a depth of 0.07 metres houses Saivitedvarapalas holding tridents in their right handsand their left hand is in varada mudra.
In the lalatabimba, Gajalaxmi is seatedin lalitasana over a lotus pedestal. The deity isholding lotus in her left hand and her right handis in varadamudra. The architrave above thedoorjamb is carved with the navagrahas but dueto the renovation work the grahas like Ravi,Rahu and Ketu are concealed.
The temple ismade of laterite stone.
Dry masonry.
Kalingan.
Though the Yonipitha is usually circular here it is square,made of laterite.
Good because of therenovation work done by the Orissa State Archaeology under X and XI Finance CommissionAward.
Growth of vegetation.
The owner of the temple clears the surrounding vegetationafter the rainy season.
i) Architecture: Bii) Historic: Ciii) Associational: Civ) Social/Cultural: Bv) Others: —
There is a well in the center of the Kharakhia Baidyanathtemple precinct, it is made of laterite blocks and it is located at a distance of 9.40 metres northof the temple.
Growth of Vegetation: Creepers in the beki of jagamohana and a pipal tree on the amlakastone. The whole temple is covered with lichens.There is a compound wall made of laterite blocks measuring 53 square metres and 2.25 metresin height with the thickness of 0.84 metres.Detached and loose sculptures: In the northern side of the vimana, there is an image ofSiva.