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Leimapokpam Keirungba Temple
The temple is situated in Imphal town in the compound
of Manipur State Road Transport Corporation. It is donated by Leimapokpan
Keirungba in 1875 AD. It is not in use now.
The whole structure of the temple is made in bricks. It is a square cube
and appears just rising from the ground level. Its pedestal is not raised
above the ground. It is facing south. The facade wall is decorated and
in front there is a semicircular arch supported by three pillars
on each side. The arch towards its outer extremity is thickened with additional
brick layers having hexagonal holes. On either side of the arch stands
the replica of shrine with stupi. The cornice is achieved by giving different
layers of bricks, by making their courses outward and then giving a slant
to the projection with the help of flat bricks. Above the cornice is the
railing. The outer jacket cube has got a row of arcades in its eastern
and southern walls. There are no arcades in the western walls.
A staircase is provided to it on a raised rostrum having
flying steps from both sides and then it leads into the thirteen spiral
staircases ending above to open to the terrace of the building.
The Garbha Griha is square and the sanctum wall is provided with three doors.
The circumambulatory path is approachable through arcades on east and north
sides and through the arch gate from the front side.
The floral motifs on the facade wall below the cornice and in the railing
show an advancement in art expression. The arrangement of pillars, the
archivolt with multifold curves, the geometric modulation of arch holes,
the foil
arrangement inside arcades etc show an architectural improvement as compared to
that of the eighteenth century and the first half of the nineteenth century
temple construction.
This is one of the important monuments
of Manipur. The pollution
around is the main factor to cause damage to the monument. |
