News Excerpt:

ASI assures that a note will be sent to UNESCO about including the Srimukhalingam temple in Andhra Pradesh in the World Heritage Structures list.

About Srimukhalingam temple:

• It was constructed in the 9th century CE by kings of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty, it contains exquisite sculptures from that period.
• It is built in the Kalinga architectural style similar to that of the Lingaraja temple located in Bhubaneswar of Odisha.
• It is located by the Vamsadhara River and is dedicated to Lord Srimukha Lingeswara (a form of Shiva).
  • Visiting this temple and dipping in the river is believed to relieve one from the cycle of rebirth.

Eastern Ganga Dynasty:

• Also known as Purba Gangas, Rudhi Gangas or Prachya Gangas.
  
• According to Chodaganga copper-plate grants, the Eastern Gangas of Kalinga were a branch of Mysore's ruling Western Ganga family.
• They constructed the Jagannath Temple of Puri and Konark Sun Temple situated in Odisha, among others.

Kalinga Architectural style:

• The Kalinga Architectural style is the sub-style within the Nagara style of northern India.
  
• The style is known for its ornate, decorative and rich architectural design.
• The most notable examples of Kalinga architecture are the temples of Bhubaneswar, Puri, and Konark.
• Typically, there are 3 types seen in the Kalinga Temples:
• Rekha Deula (arched ceiling above the inner sanctum resembling a shikhara peak).
• Pidha Deula (stacked pyramidal roof over the assembly hall).
• Khakhara Deula (barrel-vaulted roof with an inner sanctum)
• Later phases of Kalinga Architecture feature simplicity, resulting from the region's scarcity of resources and materials.
• The Kalinga School of temple architecture declined along with the Eastern Ganga kingdom.

Vamsadhara River:

• The origin of the river lies on the border of Kalyansinghpur in the Rayagada district and Thuamul Rampur in the Kalahandi district of Odisha. 
• Vamsadhara River rises in the Eastern Ghats of Orissa State, enters Srikakulam District in Bhamini Mandal, and finally falls into the Bay of Bengal near Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. 
• It is a significant east-flowing river, meandering between north-eastern Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha.
• Its name has been derived from the words 'bansa', which means bamboo and 'dhara', which means water flow, as the river originates from the forests covered with bamboo trees.
• Thus, the river received the name Bansadhara in Oriya, which was transliterated as Vamsadhara in Telugu.