THE TEMPLES OF SRIMUKHALINGAM - II
BHEEMESWARA & SOMESWARA TEMPLES
We found Someswara temple, which is a dwarf in comparison to the main temple of SriMukhalingam, quite interesting. ASI has built a small and neat compound around the temple. The temple is a typical Orissa-style temple built on 5' platform, no Gopuram, no mandapa , a SivaLinga inside and very interesting Iconography on the outside walls .But, the most important characteristics of this temple are in the portrayal of sages and hermits in different groups.If the main temple has its gods as warriors with a theme of masculinity, this one has congregations of sages and hermits, crowding around the deities.
The temple's entrance faces the north, just the opposite of the main temple .Nandy placed in the front of the temple stares at the SivaLinga, with glans-like etchings on it . The entrance has Dwarpals - the gatekeepers - nothing like the famous one at Badami cave though ( pl. view http://przmm.blogspot.com/2011/03/scrapbook-our-journey-through-land-of.html ) - Ganga,Yanuna, GajaLakshmi and above all, an eight-handed Nataraja, ithyphallic and touching the chin of Devi , beams benignly at the devotees.
Moving anti-clockwise, we find Ganesha and Lakulisha on the Western wall, Siva,Kartikeya, ArdhaNareeshwar - Androgynous Siva and HariHara on the Northern wall , Veerbhadra, MahishasuraMardini and Ekapada Siva on the Eastern wall.
The alcoves have been built according to a pattern. There is a main deity for each of the alcoves, a smaller on the top, two sides have columns with ornate designs framing the alcove - very noticeable are the sages and disciples in animated postures of activities.
Bheemeswara temple is closer to the main temple than Someswara temple. Built a few metres away from the main road, this temple deserves a thorough look. A Siva temple, it has remarkable depictions of Agni and MahishaMardini. It has several erotic panels too.
Bheemeswara temple has several wall-reliefs which are erotic - the postures different from normal frontal coitus.Ditto for Someswara temple , though fewer.It will be proper to to post photos of those wall-reliefs under http://orange-leaves.blogspot.com , where I post blogs which should not be viewed by younger persons. I end with a wonderful wall-relief of Lakulisha from Someswara temple.
BHEEMESWARA & SOMESWARA TEMPLES
Front face of Someswara temple.Pl notice Nandi at the start of the staircase and
Nataraja at a height above the entrance.
The temple's entrance faces the north, just the opposite of the main temple .Nandy placed in the front of the temple stares at the SivaLinga, with glans-like etchings on it . The entrance has Dwarpals - the gatekeepers - nothing like the famous one at Badami cave though ( pl. view http://przmm.blogspot.com/2011/03/scrapbook-our-journey-through-land-of.html ) - Ganga,Yanuna, GajaLakshmi and above all, an eight-handed Nataraja, ithyphallic and touching the chin of Devi , beams benignly at the devotees.
Moving anti-clockwise, we find Ganesha and Lakulisha on the Western wall, Siva,Kartikeya, ArdhaNareeshwar - Androgynous Siva and HariHara on the Northern wall , Veerbhadra, MahishasuraMardini and Ekapada Siva on the Eastern wall.
HariHara at the centre of the alcove.Siva is ithyphallic.Shakti in Lalitasana on the top of this alcove. Nandi and Garura at the side of their respective Lords.
Watch the hermits and sages engaged in animated conversation.
The alcoves have been built according to a pattern. There is a main deity for each of the alcoves, a smaller on the top, two sides have columns with ornate designs framing the alcove - very noticeable are the sages and disciples in animated postures of activities.
MahishaMardini and Ekapada Siva on the eastern wall of Someswara temple . Both the alcoves have Shakti in two different manifestations on top of these deities.Watch the ornate work on the vertical columns and the hermits and devotees all around.The priest beams at my camera.
A pair of white bulls at the entrance of Bheemeswara temple.
A deviation from the conventional black Nandi !
Bheemeswara temple is closer to the main temple than Someswara temple. Built a few metres away from the main road, this temple deserves a thorough look. A Siva temple, it has remarkable depictions of Agni and MahishaMardini. It has several erotic panels too.
SivaLinga at Bheemeswara temple.
Noticeable features are the cuts on the top of the Linga and the flat base.
Agni.Slightly fat from over-eating of 'offerings @ rituals,
hair spread on both the sides. Two hands broken.
An exquisite wall-relief of Lakulisha with Siva placed at the top of the framing of lotus petals.
Both Siva and Lakulisha ithyphallic.
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