Dah Parbatiya Temple

Stylistically, the dah parbatiya door frame may be placed between the last part of the 5^th century and the early part of the 6^th century AD. Architecturally, it is placed in the middle of the 5^th century AD. The temple door frame of dah parbatiya is one of the best specimens of this period. The remains of the temple are of classical pattern, both sculpturally and architecturally with no renovation. The image of Garuda in the middle of the lintel (lalatabimba) proves that it was a Vishnu temple.

Before approaching the principal deity in the garbhagriha the devotee encounters the door frame with decorations (effectively in connection with the principal deity) on its jambs, still and lintel. The relation of the door and the principal deity in the garbhagriha is closely connected. The vahana of the deity, carved on a small statue at the middle of the lintel seems to provide over the threshold. In this way, the devotee is influenced by the door-way, before he is overwhelmed by the principal deity in the garbhagriha. The inner meaning is to transfix the mind of the devotees to the presence of the supreme being inside.

The door frame stands in an east-west direction and on each side of it exists the old garbhagriha, with the door still Insitu. The five finely carved bands (sakha) on each of the two jambs of the door consist of high reliefs in their lower parts. The lintel also consists of two bands. In the lower part of the two jambs are the figures of two female deities, with a halo behind their respective heads, indicating their divinity. They have three attendants with the deity of the left jamb and two with that of the right. The two deities are identified as Ganga and Yamuna.

Image of goddess Ganga: The base of the left jamb shows the river goddess Ganga and her attendants, all of them in standing posture. Ganga is in a tribhanga pose with lowered head tilted towards right and downcast eyes like a coy maiden, facing the door. Her two hands are holding both ends of a long garland. The figures of the female attendant on her left are highly damaged. She is seen holding a fly whisk. Her ornaments consists of a head clasp, earrings, ekavali many bracelets and armlets, three stringed girdle and three anklets. The pedestal is damaged.

Image of goddess Yamuna: The river goddess Yamuna is seen on the lower portion of the right jamb. She is seen standing in tribhanga pose with lowered head and downward eyes facing left, or towards the doorway. She is holding the ends of a garland with her hands. Her well comber hair is gathered in a bun at her back. A bead clasp holds the hair in position. She is seen wearing a necklace, small earrings, bangles, shoulder clasps and thick anklets. She is flanked by three female attendants, two of them are standing and one is seated. The one on her left is holding a parasol. The seated one on to her left is offering flowers. The pedestal on which the goddess is standing is damaged. She is also provided with a halo.

The deities, including the attendants are wearing transparent draperies, floral bands on the heads and the waists which have enhanced their charms. The goddesses have konkanas in their hands; the hair is finely dressed into a bun, similar to the one, generally used by the indigenous women –folk. The patrakundalas in the ears are comparatively big, and similar to those used by Assamese women.

Parallel to the halo of the principal deities, two naga figures, below the first band of the jamb are kneeling in namaskara pose, while their tails constituting the thin second bands are continuing to the lintel and terminate on the hand of Garuda. According to Hindu mythology, Garuda is the natural enemy of the Nagas (snakes), though they belong to the same family. Both Garuda and Nagas were born to Kashyapa and Aditi.

The first, third and fifth bands are beautifully carved with meandering creepers and designs, continuing upto the lintel. The fourth band is more interesting with four ganas (attendants) one maurya and three floral designs carved on it and ending in two vases in the lintel, having two ganas, kneeling in atibhanga pose, with heads bending seem to bear the burden of the lintel on their shoulders. At the top of the left jamb Ganesha is sitting. The ornaments of all the ganas are similar to these of the other deities. On the lower part of the lintel the interesting figure is that of Garuda in a flying pose , clutching the tails of the nagas. Its waist band and the karnakundalas (earrings) are finely carved, with a floral headgear and a Halo behind its head.

Five chaitya- window motifs are carved at the top of the lintel, each containing a deity of which the side deities and the central one have their attendants. The central motif is the largest and the finest, with the figurine of half man, half bird mythical Hindu deity, Suparna constituted the sides of the motif and is occupied by Lakulisa Siva. Two kinnaras are carved in the middle, the left one is with horse head while the right one is canopied with snakehood and is playing on a flute. On the extreme right Surya is sitting and (perhaps) Siva is on the extreme left.