Archaeology of Early Orissan Temple

The existing historiography, while dealing with the early temples of Orissa, perceives them as static architectural units and seldom delves into meaning beyond the form. This book elaborates on how the monument also has a life after its construction and can interact with the community over a period of time in significant ways beyond the intention of its artists, reflecting palpable dynamism beneath its architectural configuration. A temple, as a ritual instrument, built for the community, weaves individuals as well as communities into a complex web and dynamic social fabric over time. Juxtaposing patrons’ achieving religious merit and social fame, the temple is metrically proportionate to their resources and aesthetic dexterity of the priests and laity, interacting with the temple played a conspicuous role in the temple scape of Orissa. It is evident that the temple is not simply a structure of one period or even of one community. It moves through time, constantly repositioning itself to survive. The book artists. The community as patrons, artists, makes copious documentation of temples in pre Jagannath period from arguing that polyreligiosity defines the architectural and epigraphic sources to the cultural landscape. Taking a broad as well as in-depth view of 233 temples, segmentation of space, elaboration, narratives, rituals, and survival of hitherto latent in research, it deals with temple from 6th to 11th century AD.