Tarjani Hanuman

By: Bishnu Mohan Adhikary

Tarjani Hanuman or Paikrai swami  is one of the oldest, but less known sculpture of 5th century in Odisha. Built in the period of Maathara Dynasty rule in Kangoda, Now in Patikota village of Odisha.

~ Ruins of mathara period sculpture ~
After south campaigning of Samudragupta, Mathara dynasty ruler started ruling in kalinga. According to historians like Satyanarayan Rajguru and Paramanda Acharya, they started ruling from 4th century. The great king Uma Varma of Maathara dynasty attacked Basista ruler of Vengi. After that, he became Trikalingadhipati.

Korsanda copper plate inscription says that, the son of great Uma Verma, Ananta Verma gave Shashanas(villages) to Brahmins. Initially they were following saivism, later converted to Vaishnava cult. Veeraswara Siva, Chaturbhuja Vishnu and Basudeva sculpture of Mahendragiri are of Maathara period.

ଅନନ୍ତ ବର୍ମାଙ୍କ ପରେ ଚଣ୍ଡ ବର୍ମା ପରମ ବୈଷ୍ଣବ ଥିଲେ ତାଙ୍କ ସମୟରେ ମହେନ୍ଦ୍ରଗିରିରେ ଅନେକ ମୂର୍ତ୍ତି ସ୍ଥାପନା କରାଯାଇଥିଲା। ଏହାପରେ ସେ ଲକ୍ଷ୍ମୀନାରାୟଣଙ୍କୁ ନିଜ ଇଷ୍ଟ ମାନିଲେ। ତାଙ୍କ ପୁତ୍ର ଶକ୍ତି ବର୍ମାଙ୍କ ଅନ୍ଦବରମ ଶିଳାଲେଖରୁ ଯାହା ଜଣାପଡ଼େ।

Andavaram inscription says that, they mentioned themselves as sevaka of Lakshmi Narayana.
“Kamala nilayakranta vakhyasu Narayana swaminha Paadabhakta.”

ତର୍ଜନୀ ହନୁମାନ (Tarjani Hanuman) ମହାପ୍ରଭୁଙ୍କ ମୂର୍ତ୍ତି ଭାରି ଅସୁରକ୍ଷିତ ଓ ଅବହେଳିତ ଅବସ୍ଥାରେ ପଡି ରହିଛି। ଏହା ଗଜପତି ଜିଲ୍ଲାର ପାରିକୁଟ ଗଡ଼ (ପାଟିକୋଟା) ନିକଟରେ ଅବସ୍ଥିତ। ଏହି ପଞ୍ଚମ ଶତାବ୍ଦୀର କୀର୍ତ୍ତି ପ୍ରତି ଉଭୟ ସରକାର ଓ ଜନସାଧାରଣ ଟିକେ ଦୃଷ୍ଟି ଦେଲେ ଭଲ ହୁଅନ୍ତା।