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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. |
