Svarnajalesvara Temple

Svarnajaleswar Temple is situated a small south of Parsurameswar Temple and has beautiful depictions from the epic Ramayan. It stands on the road from the Lingaraj to the Kedargouri temple and was in a completely ruined condition, but the structure is being restored now. The evidences that connect with the Parsurameswar are that the cult images in both have attributes and that both possess close architectural affinities.

It bears on the lintel of its northern niche a scene of Lord Siva's marraige, which can be regarded as a replica of the same scene carved on the lintel of the eastern niche of the Parsurameswar. The Swarnajaleswar like all the early temples also bears several scenes from Ramayana & The Mahabharata in a sunken panel running round the Vimana and making the transition between the Vada and the Sikhara.

The decoration of the 'Kanthi' - the recessed portion marking off the 'Gandi' from the 'Bada' is, however, different. On the northern and western sides are depicted scenes taken the monkey-chief 'Sugriva', Rama killing the golden deer, Bali's death at the hands of Rama and the fight between Shiva, in the guise of a 'Kirata', and 'Arjuna'; the subject of the partly-preserved southern frieze is the favourite motif of the capture of wild elephants. The crowning member above the 'Khapuri' consists of a cylindrical object, octagonal below and circular above, surmounted by a miniature 'Amla' with a groove in between.

The fragmentary 'Naga'-figure holding a foliated 'Purna-Ghata', which is now lying near the door, was in all likelihood fixed on the side of the doorway. Two such loose figures are also to be seen in small shrines within the enclosure of the Muktesvara temple.