š„ Agni – Dikpala of the Southeast (Ägneya)
Agni, the god of fire, is the guardian of the southeast direction in Odisha’s Kalinga temple architecture. Across Bhubaneswar’s temples—such as MarkandeÅvara, Siį¹hanÄtha, RÄjarÄį¹Ä«, BrahmeÅvara, LingarÄja and Charda— Agni appears with a set of highly distinctive traits that make identification easy and consistent.
š Quick Identification of Agni
- Direction: Southeast (Ägneya)
- Mount: Ram or goat (always present)
- Main Attributes: Rosary, vase, flames, torch or bowl of fire
- Body Traits: Pot-bellied, bearded (short/pointed), flame halo
- Iconic Feature: Surrounded by rising flames
✔ Essential Features of Agni (Always Seen in Temples)
- Ram as VÄhana: A small ram is always placed below or beside Agni.
- Flame Halo: Flames surround the deity; either behind the body or rising up both sides.
- Pot-Belly: A distinct pot-belly identifying him as the fire-god who consumes offerings.
- Beard: Usually shown with a beard—short or pointed. (Beard becomes prominent from 8th CE.)
- Fire Deity Identity: Body often appears heated, energetic, sometimes with flame-like locks.
⚠ Optional / Variable Features (Seen in Specific Temples)
- Number of Arms:
- 2-armed forms (common in early phase)
- 4-armed forms (Charda, RÄjarÄį¹Ä«)
- Postures Observed:
- PadmÄsana (MarkandeÅvara)
- Tribhaį¹ ga (Charda; four-armed form)
- Samabhaį¹ ga holding rosary + vase (BenusÄgar)
- LalitÄsana seated on ram (BrahmeÅvara)
- UtkutikÄsana (rare sage-like seated posture unique to Agni)
- Attributes (vary by temple):
- Rosary (akį¹£amÄlÄ) – common
- Vase (kalaÅa) – common in early sculptures
- Torch – later medieval Odisha images
- Bowl of fire – some later regional images
- Fan (very rare; seen in LingarÄja)
- Attendants:
- Miniature attendants on each side (RÄjarÄį¹Ä«)
- VidyÄdharas in the upper corners
- Duplicate miniature Agni figures (rare; ornate LingarÄja example)
- Flame Variations:
- Full body flames covering head to feet
- Side flames only
- Waist-up flame halo (prabhÄmaį¹įøala)
š Detailed Description (Integrated from Both Sources)
Agni is portrayed with a distinctive pot-belly, short or pointed beard, and a fiery aura rising around him. In Odisha he is often seated or standing in padmÄsana, tribhaį¹ ga, samabhaį¹ ga or lalitÄsana on his ram. The ram—sometimes carved tiny—is an essential identifier. Early images show him holding a rosary and a water-vessel, while later depictions replace the vessel with a torch or bowl of fire. In ornate temple panels, Agni may be flanked by vidyÄdharas or miniature attendants. Flames rise behind him, sometimes from feet to head, symbolizing both destructive and purifying aspects of fire. A rare feature unique to Odisha is Agni seated in utkutikÄsana, dressed like a sage, found only in this region. His presence completes the eight-directional mandala surrounding the main deity of the temple.