Mukteswar Temple in Bhubaneswar, famous for its elegantly carved arched gateway is considered as one of the finest examples of Orissan architecture.Mukteswar Temple is a 10th-century Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Siba located in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, India. The temple dates back to 970 CE and is a monument of importance in the study of the development of Hindu temples in Odisha. The stylistic development the Mukteswara marks the culmination of all earlier developments, and initiates a period of experiment which continues for an entire century, as seen in such temples as the Rajarani Temple and Lingaraj temple, both located in Bhubaneswar.
The most important feature of the Mukteswar Temple is the torana, or the arched gateway, dating back to about 900 CE and showing the influence of Buddhist architecture.The arched gateway has thick pillars that have strings of beads and other ornaments carved on statues of smiling women in languorous repose. The porch is a walled chamber with a low, massive roof and internal pillars. The combination of vertical and horizontal lines is skillfully arranged so as to give dignity of buildings of moderate height. This early astylar form of the temple is best illustrated in this temple.The gateway has sculptures that range from elaborate scrolls to pleasant female forms and figures of monkeys and peacocks.The front and back of the arch are similar in design.
