kalinga_temple_foundation_and_construction

Building from the Ground Up: The Foundation and Construction of a Kalinga Temple

The construction of a Kalinga temple was a meticulous and highly symbolic process, beginning with the laying of a strong and stable foundation. This crucial stage, which involved the creation of the Potā (pit) and Piṭha (base), was essential for supporting the massive weight of the temple and ensuring its longevity.

The Potā and Piṭha: A Mobile Foundation

The foundation of a Kalinga temple, known as Potā and Piṭha, was a complex and sophisticated system designed to create a stable base for the structure. The process involved the following steps:

1. Excavation: A square or rectangular pit, the Potā, was dug at the center of the consecrated plot of land (the Nāgabandhani). The depth of this pit was typically one-third of the proposed temple’s total height.
2. Leveling: The bottom of the pit was leveled with hard stone slabs.
3. Walling: The four walls of the Potā were erected with uniformly cut hard stones.
4. The Asṭadala Padma Chakaḍā: A square or rectangular stone slab, engraved with an eight-petaled lotus, was placed at the exact center of the pit. The petals were aligned with the eight cardinal and inter-cardinal directions. The vertical axis of the temple, known as the Sanku, passed directly through the center of this lotus.
5. Filling: The Potā was then carefully packed with large stones and soil, often compacted by elephants, to create a solid and stable mass.
6. The Piṭha: The pit was leveled off at ground level with thick, precisely cut stones. Upon this, another layer of stones was laid out to form the Piṭha, the plinth or base of the temple, which corresponded to the shape and size of the temple’s ground plan.

The Bhunaksā: The Sacred Ground Plan

Once the Piṭha was complete, the Bhunaksā, or ground plan, was engraved onto its surface. The Sthapati (Chief Architect) and the Sutragrahaṇi (Chief Engineer) would use a sharp instrument to draw the detailed plan, with the Sanku as the central point of the Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum).

This ground plan was a complex geometric design, based on intricate calculations and proportions derived from the sacred texts. It was the blueprint that guided the masons, the Bardhanikas, in their work.

Deula Gaddanni: Raising the Temple

With the Bhunaksā in place, the Deula Gaddanni, or the raising of the temple, could begin. The Bardhanikas would set the pre-cut stones, layer by layer, under the strict supervision of the Sutragrahaṇi. This was a slow and painstaking process, but it was essential for ensuring the stability and structural integrity of the temple.

The foundation and construction of a Kalinga temple was a remarkable feat of engineering and artistry. It was a process that was both deeply practical and profoundly symbolic, a testament to the skill, knowledge, and faith of the master builders who created these magnificent monuments.