Ananta Vasudeva Temple

Ananta Vasudeva Temple(ଅନନ୍ତ ବାସୁଦେବ ଦେଉଳ)
The Ananta Vasudeva Temple
Ananta Vasudeva Temple(ଅନନ୍ତ ବାସୁଦେବ ଦେଉଳ) Location in Odisha
Geography
Coordinates
Country	India
State/province	Odisha
District	Khurda
Locale	Bhubaneswar
Culture
Primary deity	Ananta Vasudeva(Krishna)
History and governance
Date built	13th Century

Ananta Vasudeva Temple(odia:ଅନନ୍ତ ବାସୁଦେବ ଦେଉଳ) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna, an avatar of Lord Vishnu located in Bhubaneswar, the state capital of Odisha, India. The temple was constructed in the thirteenth century, and the complete murties of Krishna, Balarama and Subhadra are worshipped there. Balarama stands under a seven hooded serpent, Subhadra holds Jewels pot and lotus in her two hands keping her left foot over another jewel pot, while Krishna holds a mace, chakra, lotus and a conch. The temple dates back to the period of Chandrika Devi, the daughter of Anangabhima III, during the reign of the king Bhanudeva.

Legend

It appears that the original image of Vishnu was worshipped on the spot where the great temple of Ananta Vasudeva was built in the 13th century A.D. Thus in the 13th century, Queen Chandrika of Eastern Ganga dynasty was prompted to construct a new temple - the temple of Anata Vasudeva in this place. There must have been an old temple where this Vishnu image was installed. The Marathas, who extended their empire up to river Mahanadi, were responsible for renovating the Vishnu temple at Bhubaneswar in the late 17th Century.

Architecture

In form, the temple resembles the Lingaraj temple, but includes vaishnavite (Lord Vishnu related) sculptures. The temple has longitudinal bands of miniature shikharas (shrines), exactly like those in Lingaraj temple, with the minor difference that the number of the shikharas forming one longitudinal band in its case is only three. The sculpture in the exterior walls varies in character in each temple in Bhubaneswar. Most of the female sculptures in the temple walls are overly ornamanted and lack originality

Difference from Jagannath Temple, Puri

The idols found in the garbhagrha (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple have complete structure unlike the images of the Jagannath Temple, Puri. Here the shrimurtis (idols) are made of black granite stone, rather than wood, as seen in the Puri temple. For this temple only the city gains its name as Chakra kshetra (circular place), whereas Puri is named Shankha kshetra (curved place).

Gallery

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  View of Ananta Vasudeva Temple from Bindusagar

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  View of Ananta Vasudeva Temple in 1869

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  Mahaprasad in Ananta Vasudeva temple

References

6 ^ Ananta Vasudeva Temple Bhubaneswar