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 The
town of Khiching, which is now a rather remote destination in the northern
area of Orissa, was obviously once a religious center of some importance.
The temples which remain today, although interesting in their own right, are
but the humble remnants of a more glorious past.
The large temple of KICHAKESWARI, originally probably dating back to the 7th
or 8th century, was reconstructed from the ruins of an earlier temple in the
early 20th century. The reconstruction,which used the traditional technique
of moving large stone elements up a huge earthen ramp, proved that the
ancient skill of temple building and architecture survived into the current
century.
Unfortunately, scholars feel that the
constructed temple does not reflect the true form of the original, and that
the shape now is a bit disproportionate. Nevertheless, the sculptures on
this and other Khiching temples are exceptionally beautiful. Large, tall
images, they are slender and graceful, reflecting a remarkable
sophistication and deftness of touch. In addition to the temples,there is a
small museum in Khiching with some very fine images.
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