Kalinga architecture

The Kaliṅga architectural style is a style of Hindu architecture which flourished in the ancient Kalinga previously known as Utkal and in present eastern Indian state of Odisha. The style consists of three distinct types of temples: Rekha Deula, Pidha Deula and Khakhara Deula. The former two are associated with Vishnu, Surya and Shiva temples while the third is mainly with Chamunda and Durga temples. The Rekha Deula and Khakhara Deula houses are the sanctum sanctorum while the Pidha Deula constitutes outer dancing and offering halls.

In Kalinga, the ancient land of Shakta cult, divine iconography existed since the mythological era. Present day research implies that idols (deities) were placed under auspicious trees in the ancient days. The various aspects of a typical Kalinga temple include architectural stipulations, iconography, historical connotations and honoring the traditions, customs and associated legends.

There is a specific hierarchy of command for the management of people involved. They are classified as:

Besides these primary set of specialists, various supportive functions are carried out by other people.

Primarily certain classes of stones are considered auspicious for the construction of Kalinga deula (temples). The Shilpa Chandrika, an ancient architecture book defines seven specific varieties of stone as ideal and certain types are used for certain portions of the temple:

Although clay bricks have been used in very rare cases, most Kalingan temples are built using these stones.

Various aspects like type of soil, shape and location of the plot, availability and type of space and ground water level, etc. are taken into consideration while selecting the site. Color, density, composition and moisture content of the soil discriminates between the best, middle, sub-middle and worst kind of soil. Based on Vastu Shastra, a rectangular, square, elliptical or circular plot of land is selected in order of preference.

This is an intricate and very old method in Shilpa Shastra, by which the temple's direction and the auspicious moment for beginning the sacred construction is determined. Like the present day Geomorphology, Seismology, Topology etc., probably this is some ancient science which guides the architect to understand natural forces and build stable massive structures in Odisha.