Patronage and Power: Women and Royal Queens as Temple Builders in Odisha

Abstract

The architectural and cultural history of Odisha is closely tied to its monumental temples, long regarded as symbols of dynastic authority and religious devotion. Conventional scholarship has largely emphasized the role of kings and male elites in shaping this sacred landscape, leaving the contributions of royal women in comparative obscurity. However, inscriptions, land grants, and temple records reveal that queens and elite women were not passive figures confined to domestic or ceremonial roles; rather, they emerged as significant patrons whose endowments and commissions left enduring marks on Odisha’s religious and political life.
This paper examines the agency of royal queens as temple builders in medieval Odisha, focusing on evidence from the Bhaumakara, Somavamsi, and Eastern Ganga dynasties. Figures such as Tribhuvana Mahadevi, Vakulamahadevi, and Kasturi Devi illustrate how queens employed temple patronage to express devotion, secure spiritual merit, and strengthen dynastic prestige. Their involvement demonstrates that temple construction was not solely a male domain but a shared arena of authority where women could inscribe their presence into both sacred and public spheres.