Orissa Review June - 2004

monastic order had also made its appearance of Vishnu Himself in his manifold mysterious
under Skandavarman. We are also inclined to aspects. The Narayana image of Badrinarayana
suggest that the invocatory phraseology “Hari temple of this place furnishes evidence of
is himself the conquered and the conqueror” synthesis of Narayana the primordial deity and
that finds place in the beginning of the Vishnu the supreme God. The Gajalakshmi
inscription marked with some sort of heroic motif represented in this rich Vaishnava centre,
and military accent, perhaps reflects the suggests that by this time, the worship of
dichotomic chivalrous and religious Lakshmi with Vishnu became popular and the
personality of Skandavarman, the great and motif became almost an inseparable part of
invincible warrior of his age, who appeared temple architecture. The beautiful Vishnu
to have been inspired by the versatile charisma images of Saintala together with the ruins and
of Vishnu and Vasudeva, his personal and state relics of a Vaishnava temple, with the extant
deity. His death about C.515 A.D. marked the doorjamb and icons of Vishnu’s incarnation,
end of a phase of Vaishnavism in South Kosala. indicate that Saintala was a flourishing centre
With the ascendancy of Rajim group of of Vaishnavism. We also find relics of
Nalas-Prithviraja (C.585-625), Viruparaja Vaishnava pantheon at Salebhata, and
(C.625-660) and Vilasatunga (C.660-700) the Patnagarh in Bolangir district of Orissa, which
second phase of Vaishnavism sprouted in Nala on stylistic ground could be assigned to this
kingdom of South Kosala with chief age. The Biranchi Narayana image of Salebhata
concentration in and around Rajim area amply testifies that the Narayana cult was also
comprising parts of the present day adjoining popular. The exquisite Trivikrama figure of
region of Sambalpur-Bolangir-Kalahandi Sauntpur suggests the spread of the worship of
districts of Orissa as well as, Raipur and Durg Vishnu’s various incarnations into the remote
districts of Chhatisgarh. The Rajivlochan areas.
temple inscription of Vilasatunga starts with a The figures of Varahi and Vaishnavi etc.
prayer offered to Vishnu. H.L.Sukla opines that found in this area amply reflect that
the four-armed Vishnu image holding Sankha, Vaishnavism developed significantly with a
Chakra, Gada, Padma etc. found inside the rich and diverse pantheon in the Nala kingdom.
Rajivlochan temple belongs to this epoch. He Gradually a process of synthesis of various
further states that according to Vishnu Purana cults and cult icons developed almost at all
the eyes of Vishnu resemble a fully blossomed important religious centres as is evident from
lotus (Rajiv) and the name of the Vishnu image the congregation of Siva, Vishnu, Lakshmi,
of Rajim seems to have derived its name Ardhanarisvara, Matrikas and Harihara figures
Rajivlochan from that. In that previous phase in one centre, at places like Saintala, Sauntpur,
of Vaishnavism we noticed limited and Baidyanath, Harisankar, Rajim and Belkhandi
symbolic representation of Vishnu’s etc. and the process finally seems to have been
incarnation. But in sharp contrast, in this phase culminated in the worship of all pervasive
Vishnu’s incarnations became diverse and Jagannath in the later period.
numerous. In the inscription we find names of
Varaha, Nrusingha, Vamana, Madhava and
Rama etc. which interestingly had their iconic
representation in the temple complex itself, Dr. C.B. Patel is working as Superintendent of Orissa
testifying to the popularity of Avatara worship State Museum, Bhubaneswar.

101
 Orissa Review June - 2004

Nitis (Programmes) of
Car Festival - 2004

NAVA YAUVAN DARSHAN Madhyahna Dhupa ... 4.00 p.m.

FRIDAY, 18.6.2004 ( only Kotha Bhoga) to 5.00 p.m.
Chaka Apasar ... 4.00 a.m. Second Bhoga Mandap ... 4.15 p.m.
Mangala Alati ... 4.10 a.m. to 5.45 p.m.
Mailama ... 4.25 a.m. Mailama Vesha Sesha ... 6.15 p.m.
Avakash ... 5.00 a.m. Sandhya Alati ... 6.30 p.m.
Sandhya Dhupa (only Kotha Bhoga) ... 7.00 p.m.
Dasa Avatara and Dian
to 8.00 p.m.
Bahuda Bije ... 5.30 a.m.
Ankuraropana O Abasyaka Hele
Tati Phitiba ... 6.00 a.m.
Third Bhoga Mandap ... 7.10 p.m.
Parimanika Darshan ... 6.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.
to 7.30 a.m.
Mailama ... 9.15 p.m.
Sarbasadharana Darshana ... 8.00 a.m. Chandana Lagi ... 9.30 p.m.
to 9.30 a.m.
Badasinghar Vesha ... 10.00 p.m.
Dhuadhoi Chunapani Padiba ... 10.30 a.m.
Badasinghar Bhoga ... 10.30 p.m.
Daitapati Sarvanga Vandapana ... 11.00 a.m.
Pahuda Alati ... 11.00 p.m.
Netrotsav Vandapana ... 11.30 a.m..
Sramikha Khandua ... 11.15 p.m.
Rosa Homa ... 11.45 a.m.
Bahutakanta ... 11.30 pm.
Rajaniti ... 12.00 noon
Senapata Lagi ... 12.00 mid
Yatrangi - Mahasnana ... 12.30 p.m. night
Mailama ... 12.45 p.m. to 5.00 a.m.
Ghantachhata Sarvanga ... 1.00 p.m. SRI GUNDICHA - RATHA YATRA
Surya Puja ... 1.15 p.m. SATURDAY, 19.6.2004
Dwarapala Puja ... 1.30 p.m. Mangala Alati ... 5.30 a.m.
Vesha Sesha ... 1.45 p.m. Mailama ... 5.40 a.m.
Gopal Ballav, Ghantachhata ... 2.00 p.m. Tadapalagi ... 6.00 a.m.
Sakala Dhupa (only Kothabhoga) ... 3.00 p.m. Rosa Homa ... 6.00 a.m.
Avakasa ... 6.30 a.m.
Bhogamandap Uthiba ... 2.10 p.m.
Surya Puja ... 6.40 a.m.
Ratha-Agyanmala Bije ... 3.10 p.m.
Dwarapala Puja ... 7.00 a.m.
Bhogamandap Sesha ... 3.45 p.m.

102