Spotlight On 17th Century Temple At Pathapatnam

Visakhapatnam: Hidden along the tranquil banks of the Mahendratanaya river lies an architectural marvel steeped in history and devotion -- the Neelakanteswara Swamy Temple, also known as the Panchalingeswara temple.

Located in the town of Pathapatnam — once known as Puruna Patana, a name of Odia origin — this sacred site traces its roots back to the Eastern Ganga-Gajapati dynasty of Odisha.

Historical accounts reveal that Pathapatnam served as a capital of the Ganga-Gajapati kings of Paralakhemundi towards the end of the 16th Century. The temple was founded in 1620 CE by King Mukunda Gajapati and is a classic specimen of Kalinga temple architecture.

At the heart of the complex is the shrine of Lord Neelakantheswara (a form of Shiva), whose sacred linga remains submerged under water for nearly six months each year due to seasonal swelling of the river. During this period, temple caretakers use motor pumps to drain water for ritual worship, preserving a centuries-old tradition.

Surrounding the main sanctum are five other shrines dedicated to Shiva in his forms as Kashi Vishwanatha, Balunkeswara, Kedareswara and Lokanatheswara, forming the Panchalingeshwara complex.

An adjoining shrine to Goddess Parvati completes the sacred circle. The offering hall (Jagati) was added in 1791 CE by Gajapati Narayana Deva, son of Jagannatha Narayana Gajapati II. A stone inscription from this period survives within the temple, bearing his elaborate royal title: “Sri Sri Gajapati Chatrapati Navakoti Karnata Kalavargeswara Viradhivirabara.”

The temple also preserves a rare memorial inscription commemorating a victorious battle led by the Paralakhemundi kings against the Maratha Subedar Sibba Bhatta in the war of Chatragada.

In recent times, archaeological attention has returned to the site. A bilingual inscription in Odia and Telugu was discovered last year on a Hara-Parvati panel within the temple.

Deciphered by researcher Bishnu Mohan Adhikari, the inscription was presented at the annual conference of the All India Epigraphical Society held in Warangal. A senior epigraphist from the ASI Mysore office MVR Varma took e-stampages of the temple inscriptions for further study.

In an intriguing recent development, charcoal inscriptions have been found on the walls of the temple’s Jagamohana, raising further research interest.

The temple houses exquisite iconography rarely seen elsewhere, including a dramatic 32-handed form of Veerabhadra, panels of Matrikas (mother goddesses), Siva Ganas and a detailed depiction of the Dasavatara—the ten incarnations of Vishnu.