Brahmani Temple

Hindu temple in Orissa, India

21°15′21.12″N 86°48′33.8″E / 21.2558667°N 86.809389°E / 21.2558667; 86.809389ArchitectureTypeOrissan Pidha vimana temple architectureCreatorSomavamsi ruleCompleted10th–11th centuries

Brahmani temple (Odia: ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣୀ ମନ୍ଦିର) is a Hindu and Buddhist temple located in Avana, Baleswar, Odisha, India built in the 10th–11th centuries A.D. It is a living temple and the presiding deity is an eight-armed three-faced Chamunda image. It is a protected monument of Odisha State Archaeology.

Location

It is on the left bank of the river Son and is about 6 km north of Ajodhya. It is 21 km from the Baleshwar town, Orissa.

Construction

It is a pidha temple followed by a flat roofed open mandapa. The presiding deity of the temple is an eight-armed Chamunda image and iconographically it can be dated to the 10th–11th centuries A.D. The temple is a modern one but it houses a few important specimen of Buddhist and Saviate sculptures, datable to the same centuries.

Quantification

Area dimension (L x B x H): 4.20 m x 4.00 m x 6.50 m
Number of blocks: Two, vimana followed by a mandapa

Spatial organization

Orientation: Facing towards west
Plan: The vimana is square; mandapa is rectangular
Allocation of spaces: 10 m x 4.50 m in length and width respectively

Architectural style

Ornamentation

Exteriors: Plain
Interiors: Plain
Movable collections: Four-armed Avaloketesvara, eight-armed and three-faced Chamunda.
It is a recently built shrine with pancharatha on plan and panchanga bada in elevation.

Construction technology

Structural System: It has a pidha vimana fronted by a flat Jaga mohan. The vimana is pancharatha on plan and panchaga bada in elevation.
Building techniques: Ashlar masonry
Material of construction: Laterite used for the temple; the images are made of chlorite stone.

Vermilion and oil is regularly applied over the images by the priest, which may be harmful for the stone carvings in long run.

Footnotes

References

Sahoo. Ashis Ranjan, Pradhan. Dr. S. Report on Bramhani Temple. Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts
R. P. Mohapatra, 1986, Archaeology in Orissa, Vol. II, New Delhi

External links

Images of Brahmani temple

Hindu temples in Odisha

Bhubaneswar

Shiva temples	Aisanyesvara Siva Temple Akhadachandi Temple Astasambhu Siva Temples Baitala Deula Belesvara Shiva Temple Bhima Kunda Bhringesvara Siva Temple Bhrukutesvar Siva Temple Brahmeswara Temple Byamokesvara Temple Chakreshvari Siva Temple Champakesvara Siva Temple Chandrasekhara Mahadeva Temple Chintamanisvara Siva Temple Devasabha Temple Dishisvara Siva Temple Gangesvara Siva Temple Gosagaresvar Siva Temple Jaleswar Siva Temple Precinct Kalika Siva Temple Kapilesvara Siva Temple Kedareswar Temple Labesvara Siva Temple Ladu Baba Temple Lakhesvara Siva Temple Lingaraja Temple Madneswar Siva Temple Mangalesvara Siva Temple Manibhadresvara Temple – II Mukteswar Temple Nagesvara Temple, Bhubaneswar Pabaneswara Temple Papanasini Siva Temple Parsurameswara Temple Purvesvara Siva Temple Rajarani Temple Rameshwar Deula Sarvatresvara Siva Temple Siddhesvara Siva Temple Subarnesvara Siva Temple Suka Temple Sukutesvara Temple Svapnesvara Siva Temple Talesvara Siva Temple Tirthesvara Siva Temple Uttaresvara Siva Temple Yameshwar Temple
Vishnu temples	Ananta Vasudeva Temple Bharati Matha Temple Gandhi Garabadu Precinct Vishnu Temple Ram Mandir, Bhubaneswar Vishnu Temple, Bhubaneswar
Shakti temples	Chausath Yogini Temple, Hirapur Parvati Temple, Odisha
Other temples	Brahma Temple, Bindusagar Hanuman Temple, Kedara-Gouri Sivatirtha Matha

Cuttack district

Shiva temples	Chateshwar Temple Dhabaleswar Temple Simhanath Temple
Vishnu temples	Madhava Temple
Shakti temples	Bhattarika Temple Charchika Temple Cuttack Chandi Temple Durga Temple, Baideshwar Durga Temple, Motia
Other temples	Brahma Temple, Niali

Puri district

Shiva temples	Beleswar Temple Lokanatha Temple Markandeshwar Temple
Vishnu temples	Alarnatha Mandira Chakra Narasimha Temple Gundicha Temple Jagannath Temple, Puri Narasimha Temple, Puri Sakhigopal Temple
Shakti temples	Bata Mangala Temple Maa Mangala Mandir, Kakatpur Mausi Maa Temple Ramachandi Temple Varahi Deula, Chaurasi Vimala Temple
Sun temples	Konark Sun Temple
Other temples	Govardhan Math Emar Matha

Western Odisha

Shiva temples	Kosaleswara temple Leaning Temple of Huma
Vishnu temples	Nrusinghanath Temple Patali Srikhetra
Shakti temples	Lankeswari Temple Samleswari Temple Sureswari temple
Other temples	Harishankar Temple Sasisena Temple

Rayagada district

Shiva temples	Bhimashankar Chatikona Nilakantheswar Temple Pataleswar
Vishnu temples	Jagannath Temple, Gunupur Jagannath Temple, Rayagada Laxminarayan Temple, Therubali
Shakti temples	Maa Markama Temple Majhighariani Temple

Other

Shiva temples	Ajaikapada Bhairava Temple Akhandalamani Temple Annakoteshvara Temple Bhuvaneshwar Temple, Boudh Chandaneswar Temple Gupteswar Cave Godhaneswar temple Indralath Temple Kapilash Temple Murga Mahadeva Shrine Nilakantheswar Temple Panchalingeswar Temple Sekhareswar Temple
Vishnu temples	Anantasaayi Vishnu Temple* Anantashayana Vishnu Baladevjew Temple Chhatia Bata Shri Shri Hari Baladev Jew Bije, Baripada Jagannath Mandir, Dharakot Jagannath Temple, Koraput Jagannath Temple, Nayagarh Khirachora Gopinatha Temple Lakhmi Varaha Temple Narayana Gosain Temple Nilamadhav Temple Odogaon Raghunath Temple Varahanatha Temple
Shakti temples	Bhadrakali Temple, Aharapada Bhagabati Temple, Banapur Biraja Temple Ghanteswari Temple Goddess Maheshwari Kalijai Kanaka Durga, Raulapalli Kichakeshwari Temple Maa Barunei Temple Maa Tarini Temple, Ghatgaon Maa Ugra Tara Maa Markama Temple Mahishamardini Temple Majhighariani Temple Manikeshwari Temple Marichi Temple Mausimaa Temple Metakani Temple Narayani Temple Saptamatruka Temple Sarala Temple Siddha Bhairavi Tara Tarini Mandir Upper Bagh Devi Temple
Sun temples	Biranchinarayan Temple, Buguda Biranchinarayan Temple, Palia
Ganesha temples	Budha Ganesha Temple Mahavinayak Temple Siddha Vinayaka
Other temples	Bhandara Ghara Shrine Hanuman Vatika Harihara Deula Joranda Gadi