The ruined temple Gangesvari, Bayalishibati, Odisha, By:- Durga Charan Mishra.

This is one of the most stunning places that I’ve ever visited.

One day  I got some information through face book shared by Mr Taranisen Pattnaik, a great photographer and  the person who is most inspiring for my life about  the ruined temple Gangesvari ,It is located at village Bayalishibati, Dist. Puri, Odisha. On his post he stated that the condition of the temple needs immediate attention which are lying in neglect, need urgent restoration and maintenance.

By seeing the pictures of this temple,  I and my wife, we  are very excited to see the place. It is a distance of only 35 kms from my place, Puri-  Balighai- Gop- Bayalishibati.

 

On Sunday morning  8 am we started our journey on a 100 cc small bike.  A cloudy and breezy day offered us a wonderful ride. En-route  we pass through  many small town,  villages, temples, lush green paddy fields and  many small rivers finally reached at the destination.

Bayalishibati a very small village near Gop (2,5 km) of Puri district, Odisha and the Gangesvari Temple one of the beautiful spot at the heart of the village. It was said by the villagers , this temple was the model for Sun  Temple of Konark.

This was built during the 13th Century by the Eastern Ganga Dynasty one of the finest example of craftsmanship dedicated to Goddess Gangesvari, four armed Mahisaasuramardini Durga.

A beautiful statue of a Varahi Devi on the outside temple. . various sculptures have been made  in the outer temple walls different  forms of Lord , dancers, animal and  hunting scene, Of  course most architectural sculpture are ruined could be considered negligent. Green vegetations are noticed in the outer surface of the temple and water seepage inside the temple. Stones are also started eroding now. Though it is a protected monument under Odisha State Archaeology. Now it is under the care of the local Brahmins.

I was sad by watching a major part of the structure is now in ruins.  The wrath of nature is quite visible and this ruined monument needs immediate attention by the department who is protecting it. Immediate protective action will keep this heritage bright for our future generations Though, the condition of the temple needs immediate attention and recovery,  take care of this beautiful piece of history.

Local story tells that the Sun Temple of Konark was built around 13th century and took 12 years to build and required 1200 artisans. The construction work of Sun Temple was over seen by Sibei Samantray and Bishu Maharana as the chief architect. The condition of the soil where the temple was to be erected, was so bad became very much upset and great difficulty managed to carry on the work. There was a contract between the local king- Langula Narsingh Dev and workers, that no one will be allowed to go away until the whole work was completed.

Huge quantities of stone and masonry were planted on the sea bed only to be washed away

 One evening Sibei Samantray left his workers behind and walked down the beach racking his brains for an answer. He had lost his way and it was getting dark. His only hope lay in a nearby hut belonged to a very old lady. She offered him a seat and poured him a hot kheer in a plate. A hungry Samantray dipped his finger in the middle and feel pain. At that time the old lady said "Son, your manner of eating kheer is no different from Sibei Santara's efforts at building the temple gave the solution he was so desperately looking for. Eat your kheer from the sides. By the time you reach there the center would have cooled down. It was the brainwave that he had and from the following morning he started building the stone platform from the edge of the beach. Slowly but steadily as the foundation progressed the sea started giving way. The magnificent Konark was finally a reality.

Some say the old lady was Goddess.  So the king constructed a temple in memory of her in the village Bayalishibati, all the craft man and artisans are stay there during the construction period of Konark Temple .

We have visited many places but  believe that it was a most memorable place of our life  who offer   historical sites and areas of natural beauty are being ruined