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Culture guide · c. 7th – 13th century CE
Temple Architecture of Odisha: the Kalinga style
How Odisha’s temple builders created one of India’s great architectural traditions — the three types of deula, the parts of a temple, six centuries of development, and the masterpieces of Bhubaneswar, Puri and Konark — with links to every temple article on this site.
- 3types of deula
- c. 650 CEParsurameswara
- 1984Konark on UNESCO list
- 29linked articles
On this page
01 · Overview
What is the Kalinga style of temple architecture?
Odishan temples in 60 seconds
- The Kalinga style is a regional school of the northern Indian (Nagara) temple tradition, developed in Odisha between about the 7th and 13th centuries.
- Odishan builders recognised three types of temple: rekha, pidha and khakhara deula.
- Each temple rises in four parts — pista, bada, gandi, mastaka — and great temples add a jagamohana, natamandira and bhogamandapa.
- Bhubaneswar, the “Temple City”, preserves the whole story, from Parsurameswara (c. 650) to Lingaraj (11th century).
- The style reached its height in the Jagannath Temple at Puri and the Sun Temple at Konark, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.
Odisha has one of the densest concentrations of historic temples in India, and its builders developed a distinct regional style known as the Kalinga or Odishan style. Its rules were recorded in local architectural texts such as the Bhubana Pradipa and Silpa Prakasa, and its vocabulary — deula, bada, gandi, jagamohana — is still used by Odisha’s traditional temple builders.
What makes the style distinctive is its clarity. Each temple is built from a small set of clearly defined parts, combined in a fixed order, and decorated with sculpture that grows richer as the centuries pass. Because so many temples survive in one region, historians can follow the style step by step from its beginnings to its climax.
02 · Classification
The three types of Odishan temple
Odishan texts classify temples by the shape of their roof. Most great temples combine two types: a tall rekha tower over the sanctum and a pidha roof over the assembly hall in front of it.
- Rekha deula Curvilinear tower A tall spire with a gently curving outline, crowned by a ribbed amalaka. Used over the sanctum (garbhagriha) — as at Lingaraj and Jagannath.
- Pidha deula Tiered pyramidal roof A roof of horizontal tiers (pidhas) stepping inwards, topped by a bell-shaped ghanta. Used for the jagamohana and other halls — as at Konark.
- Khakhara deula Barrel-vaulted roof An oblong tower with a wagon-vault roof, named after the khakhara gourd. Used mainly for shrines of goddesses — as at Vaitala.
03 · Anatomy
The parts of an Odishan temple
Odishan builders described the temple as a human body, rising in four vertical parts from the platform to the crown. The walls are divided by vertical projections called rathas or pagas: early temples are triratha (three projections), mature ones pancharatha (five) or saptaratha (seven).
- Pista — the platform on which the temple stands; absent in many early temples.
- Bada — the vertical wall. Early temples divide it into three parts (pabhaga, jangha, baranda); mature temples into five, adding the bandhana and a second jangha.
- Gandi — the body of the spire or roof: curving in a rekha deula, stepped in a pidha deula, vaulted in a khakhara.
- Mastaka — the crown: the recessed neck (beki), the ribbed amalaka, the khapuri, the water-pot finial (kalasa) and the deity’s emblem (ayudha) — a wheel for Vishnu, a trident for Shiva.
The temple complex
A great Odishan temple is a line of buildings on one east–west axis. All four appear at Lingaraj and at the Jagannath Temple in Puri.
- DeulaSanctum towerThe rekha deula that houses the deity in the garbhagriha.
- JagamohanaAssembly hallA pidha-roofed hall where worshippers gather before the deity.
- NatamandiraDance hallHall for music and ritual dance, added in the later period.
- BhogamandapaOffering hallHall where food offerings (bhoga) are presented.
04 · Six centuries
Evolution of temple architecture in Odisha
Historians usually divide the Kalinga style into phases. Dates are approximate, and individual temples are still debated, but the overall direction is clear: temples grow taller, plans more complex and sculpture richer.
- Early phase · 7th–8th c.
Small triratha temples with a low, heavy spire and a simple, flat-roofed hall. Parsurameswara (c. 650) and Vaitala belong here, under the Sailodbhavas and Bhaumakaras.
- Transitional phase · 9th–10th c.
The pancharatha plan and the pidha-roofed jagamohana appear. Mukteswar, with its famous torana gateway, marks the change under the Somavamsis.
- Mature phase · 11th–13th c.
Tall towers, five-part walls and full temple complexes: Rajarani and Lingaraj in Bhubaneswar, then the Ganga masterpieces of Puri and Konark.
- Later period · 14th c. onward
Fewer great temples are built; work focuses on additions, repairs and smaller shrines across the state.
05 · The Temple City
The temples of Bhubaneswar
Old Bhubaneswar, the sacred Ekamra Kshetra around the Bindu Sagar tank, preserves the full development of the Kalinga style within a few square kilometres. Five of its temples are covered in detail on this site.
- c. 650 CE · RekhaParsurameswara TempleThe earliest well-preserved temple in Bhubaneswar, with a triratha tower and a flat-roofed hall.Read article →
- 8th century · KhakharaVaitala TempleThe finest khakhara deula, dedicated to the goddess Chamunda.Read article →
- 10th century · RekhaMukteswar TempleThe “gem of Odishan architecture”, famed for its arched torana.Read article →
- 11th century · RekhaRajarani TempleA temple without a presiding deity, celebrated for its sculpture.Read article →
- 11th century · RekhaLingaraj TempleThe grandest temple of Bhubaneswar, with all four halls.Read article →
06 · The climax
Puri and Konark
Under the Imperial Gangas the style reached its climax. The Jagannath Temple at Puri, begun by Anantavarman Chodagangadeva in the 12th century, rises about 65 metres and is crowned by the Nilachakra. A century later Narasimhadeva I built the Sun Temple at Konark as a colossal stone chariot of the Sun God, with twenty-four carved wheels drawn by seven horses. Its great tower has fallen, but the jagamohana still stands. European sailors knew the two temples as the “White Pagoda” and the “Black Pagoda”.
- 12th century · PuriArchitecture of the Jagannath TempleThe Shree Mandira, its walls, halls and Nilachakra.Read article →
- 13th century · KonarkArchitecture of the Sun Temple at KonarkThe chariot temple and its sculpture.Read article →
- MonolithThe Aruna StambhaThe single-stone pillar moved from Konark to Puri.Read article →
- BuilderNarasimhadeva IThe Ganga king who built Konark.Read article →
- BuilderAnantavarman ChodagangadevaThe Ganga king who began the Jagannath Temple.Read article →
07 · At a glance
The great temples compared
| Temple | Date | Built under | Form | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parsurameswara | c. 650 | Sailodbhavas | Triratha rekha + flat-roofed hall | Earliest well-preserved example |
| Vaitala | 8th c. | Bhaumakara period | Khakhara | Goddess Chamunda; tantric imagery |
| Mukteswar | 10th c. | Somavamsis | Pancharatha rekha + pidha jagamohana | Torana; “gem of Odishan architecture” |
| Rajarani | 11th c. | Somavamsis | Pancharatha rekha | No presiding deity; sculpted nayikas and dikpalas |
| Lingaraj | 11th c. | Somavamsis | Rekha + three halls | Grandest temple of Bhubaneswar |
| Jagannath, Puri | 12th c. | Imperial Gangas | Rekha + pidha halls | Nilachakra; living centre of worship |
| Sun Temple, Konark | 13th c. | Imperial Gangas | Rekha (fallen) + pidha jagamohana | Chariot form; UNESCO World Heritage Site |
08 · Beyond the famous seven
More temples worth knowing
Odisha has hundreds of other historic temples. These are among the most important for understanding the style; articles on them are planned.
- Brahmeswara TempleBhubaneswar · 11th c.A panchayatana temple — main shrine with four corner shrines — dated by an inscription.
- Ananta Vasudeva TempleBhubaneswar · 13th c.A Ganga-period Vishnu temple beside the Bindu Sagar.
- Chausath Yogini, HirapurNear Bhubaneswar · 9th c.A small circular, roofless shrine with sixty-four yogini images.
- Chausath Yogini, Ranipur-JharialWestern OdishaA larger circular yogini shrine in a temple site of Bolangir district.
- Udayagiri & Khandagiri cavesBhubaneswar · 1st c. BCERock-cut Jain caves of Kharavela’s time — Odisha’s earliest monumental architecture.
- Maa Tarini & KichakeswariShakti shrinesImportant goddess temples covered in our history of the Sakti cult.
09 · Living temples
Temples as living institutions
Odisha’s temples are not only monuments. The Jagannath Temple in particular is a living institution with its own rituals, servitors, festivals and laws.
- PuriShree MandirThe great temple of Lord Jagannath.Read article →
- RitualDaily Rituals of Lord JagannathaThe day’s ceremonies from dawn to night.Read article →
- PilgrimagePanchatirtha of PuriThe five sacred bathing places of Puri.Read article →
- LawThe Shree Jagannath Temple ActHow the temple is administered today.Read article →
- Ratha YatraSacred Timber for the Rath YatraHow the chariots are built each year.Read article →
10 · Complete index
All articles on Odisha’s temples
Every article on this site about Odisha’s temples, their builders and the traditions that keep them alive. Type below to find one quickly.
The Kalinga style
Temples of Bhubaneswar
Puri & Konark
Temple builders
Jagannath tradition
Temple affairs today
No article matches that search. Try “Konark”, “Lingaraj” or “Jagannath”.
11 · For OPSC & university exams
Quick revision: points to remember
- Three types of Odishan temple: rekha (curvilinear), pidha (tiered) and khakhara (barrel-vaulted) deula.
- Four vertical parts: pista, bada, gandi, mastaka; the mastaka includes the beki, amalaka, kalasa and ayudha.
- Four buildings of a complete complex: deula, jagamohana, natamandira, bhogamandapa — all present at Lingaraj and Jagannath.
- Parsurameswara (c. 650) is the earliest well-preserved temple of Bhubaneswar; Vaitala is the classic khakhara deula.
- Mukteswar (10th c.) is called the “gem of Odishan architecture” for its torana; Rajarani has no presiding deity.
- Konark: built by Narasimhadeva I (13th c.), 24 wheels and 7 horses, UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984 — the “Black Pagoda”.
12 · FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Odisha’s temple architecture
What is the Kalinga style of temple architecture?
The Kalinga style is the regional school of temple architecture that developed in Odisha between about the 7th and 13th centuries CE. It is a branch of the northern Indian Nagara tradition, known for its rekha, pidha and khakhara deulas and for temple complexes such as Lingaraj, Jagannath and Konark.
What are the three types of temples in Odisha?
Odishan temples are classified as rekha deula (with a tall curvilinear spire), pidha deula (with a tiered pyramidal roof) and khakhara deula (with a barrel-vaulted roof). See Types and Components of Temples of Odisha.
What are the parts of an Odishan temple?
Vertically, a temple has four parts: the pista (platform), bada (wall), gandi (spire or roof) and mastaka (crown). A complete complex has four buildings in a line: the deula, jagamohana, natamandira and bhogamandapa.
Which is the oldest temple in Bhubaneswar?
The Parsurameswara Temple, built around 650 CE, is the earliest well-preserved temple in Bhubaneswar. See Architecture of Parsurameswara Temple.
Who built the Konark Sun Temple?
The Sun Temple at Konark was built in the 13th century by the Eastern Ganga king Narasimhadeva I. It was designed as a giant chariot of the Sun God and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. See Architecture of the Sun Temple at Konark.
Why are Konark and Puri called the Black and White Pagodas?
European sailors used the dark Konark temple and the whitewashed Jagannath Temple at Puri as landmarks along the coast, and called them the Black Pagoda and the White Pagoda.
Why is Bhubaneswar called the Temple City of India?
Old Bhubaneswar, the sacred Ekamra Kshetra, contains hundreds of historic temples built over more than five centuries, including Parsurameswara, Mukteswar, Rajarani and Lingaraj, so it preserves the whole development of the Kalinga style in one place.
Sources & further reading
- Donaldson, Thomas E. Hindu Temple Art of Orissa, 3 vols. Leiden: Brill, 1985–87.
- Panigrahi, K. C. Archaeological Remains at Bhubaneswar. Calcutta: Orient Longmans, 1961.
- Mitra, Debala. Konarak. New Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India.
- Behera, K. S. Temples of Orissa. Bhubaneswar: Orissa Sahitya Akademi.
- Banerji, R. D. History of Orissa, 2 vols. Calcutta, 1930–31.