Baitāḷa deuḷa or Vaitāḷa deuḷa is an 8th-century Hindu temple of the typical Khakara style of the Kalinga architecture dedicated to Goddess Chamunda located in Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha, India. It is also locally known as Tini-mundia deula due to the three spires on top of it, a very distinct and unusual feature. The three spires are believed to represent the three powers of the goddess Chamunda - Mahasaraswati, Mahalakshmi and Mahakali.
Image: Baitala Deula Bhubaneswar 15 (cropped)
Image: Baitala Deula Bhubaneswar 20 (cropped)
Image: Baitala Deula Bhubaneswar 02
Vertical panorama of the entire temple
The Kaḷinga architectural style is a style of Hindu architecture which flourished in the ancient Kalinga previously known as Utkal and in present eastern Indian state of Odisha. The style consists of three distinct types of temples: Rekha Deula, Pidha Deula and Khakhara Deula. The former two are associated with Vishnu, Surya and Shiva temples while the third is mainly with Chamunda and Durga temples. The Rekha Deula and Khakhara Deula houses are the sanctum sanctorum while the Pidha Deula constitutes outer dancing and offering halls.
Simplified schema of a Kalinga architecture temple
The Lingaraja Temple, a revered pilgrimage center and the culminating result of the architectural tradition at Bhubaneswar, sixth century AD.
The Jagannath Temple, one of the four holiest places (Dhamas) of Hinduism, in the coastal town of Puri in Odisha.
Konark Sun Temple, one of the most well renowned temples in India, a World Heritage Site. the tower has collapsed in the past.
