Kotitirtha Tank

It is believed that the tank is a sacred bathing place for cleansing a person's sins. It is used by the locals for various ritual practices and offerings such as Pinda. "The temple tank is one of the Panchatirthas, the other four being Ganga-Yamuna Kunda, Bindu Sagar, Devi Padahara, and Papanasini. The deity in the adjoining temple on the western embankment is named "Kotitirthesvara" after the sacred tank Kotitirtha".[1]

The public temple is owned by multiple persons, maintained by the Kotitirthesvara Thakura Development Committee, and is located on Kotithirthesvara lane, Oldtown, Bhubaneswar.

The precise age is not known and the approximate age could not be ascertained. However, the tank may be older than the temple assigned to the 11th century AD.

i) Precinct/ Building/ Structure/Landscape/Site/Tank: Tank

ii) Subtype: Spring

iii) Typology: Embankments

i) Abandoned/ in use: In-use

ii) Present use: Ritual as well as normal bathing

iii) Past use: Could not be ascertained

i) Historical significance: Somavamsi 260

ii) Cultural significance: — Sivaratri, Jalasayii, Kartika Purnima, Sankranti are observed. The tank is considered sacred as one of the Panchatheertha, the other four being Ganga-Yamuna Kunda, Bindu Sagar, Devi Padahara, and Papanasini. Pinda is also offered.

iv) Associational significance: Kotitirthesvara Thakura Development Committee.

i) Surroundings: The tank has embankments on all four sides. The temples of Kotitirthesvara and Visvanatha stand on the western embankment. On the southern embankment, through a channel in a southern wall, the excess water of the spring and wastewater is discharged into the Lingaraja Temple West Canal, as a result, the water level of the tank remains constant throughout the year. The northeastern corner has a clubhouse, whereas, the northwestern corner houses a recently built Siva temple that partly encroaches on the ancient tank.

ii) Orientation: Bathing ghats are provided with steps in the western embankment.

iii) Architectural features: Rectangular on plan measuring 19.75 meters length, 9.75 meters breadth and 1.56 meters depth

vi) Building material: Dressed in the Laterite blocks

vii) Construction techniques: Dry masonry

ix) Special features: It is fed by an underground natural spring. The water is fresh and clean, and used for ritual bathing as well as a community bath by the locality.

i) Good/Fair/ Showing Signs of Deterioration/Advanced: Good

ii) State of Decay/Danger of Disappearance: Is not in any sort of decaying condition.

i) Signs of distress: Growth of vegetation in the embankments.

ii) Structural problems: It has to be refurbished.

iii) Repairs and Maintenance: Looked after, with repairs and maintenance made annually by the authority.

i) Architecture: B

ii) Historical: B

iii) Associational: A

iv) Social/Cultural: A

Conservation Problem and Remedies: The ancient tank needs renovation to clear the sludge, accumulation of silt, and clay.

Lesser-Known Monuments of Bhubaneswar by Dr. Sadasiba Pradhan (ISBN 81-7375-164-1) 03 / 08 / 2006