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The de-plastering work of the main temple tower/Vimana/Deula is almost completed, due to which the detailed sculptural art of the Vimana is visible today. After de-plastering, 24 miniature sikhras popularly known as Anga-Sikharas are visible now. Architecturally they are like Odishan rekha deul with all the distinctive features. The important aspects of these 24 angasikharas are that within the niche a sculpture is also installed. The most important among them are Ganesha on the topmost angasikhara of south-west corner of southern wall and Brahma installed on the middle angasikhara of south-west corner and on upper angasikhara Goddess Kali is enshrined. On the eastern side of north-east corner, on top and middle angasikhara, Nataraj and Surya are installed. On the northern wall of the vimana, Siva is carved inside the niche of central angasikhara of north-eastern corner. The remaining niches are mostly occupied by Vishnu with the exception that Yama, Kuvera and Surya also have been installed. On the central largest angasikhara on the eastern side wall, Dikpalas are shown along with their consorts which are also prominent. On the southern wall, the Siva Ajaekapada Bhairava is incorporated.
There are 3 Nisa temples (small covered halls with a Sikhara (tower)) on 3 outer sides of the the main temple tower (Vimana/Deula) with 3 Parswa Devatas (side Deities) in each - Varaha in south, Nrusimha in west and Trivikrama in the north. These 3 figures are made of chlorite and are very exquisitely carved. After de-plastering of the front vertical walls of all the 3 Nisa temples, 24 figures of Lord Vishnu are visible. After close examination, they are identified as the representations of the popular 24 forms of Vishnu. The figures of 24 forms of Lord Vishnu have been carved on the side walls of these 3 Nisa temples i.e. 8 figures on each temple. Though the latter addition of the superstructure in front of these principal niches has disturbed some of these significant icons by way of insertion of the walls inside original one covering partly or inflicting damages, the identification of 16 of them are successfully made.
The representations of these twenty-four forms of Lord Vishnu are identical in their iconographic features. All the figures are standing with four arms and adorned with crown and other usual ornaments. Each one of them stands in Padmasana or lotus throne. The method adopted in distinguishing one from the other of the 24 forms is that of skilful alteration of the four Ayudhas (chief attributes) of Vishnu i.e. Shankha (Conch), Chakra (Wheel), Gada (Mace) and Padma (Lotus) held in the four hands by each of them. The four attributes of Vishnu symbolize the universal processes relevant to the divinity.
The names of the 24 forms are evidently selected out of the thousand names of Vishnu given in the Anusasanaparvan of the Mahabharata. The twenty-four names are popular as "Chaturvimsati Kesava Namas", they are
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The discovery is unique of this kind in the context of Vishnu iconography in Eastern India, so far nowhere in India all the 24 forms of Vishnu are depicted within any known temples neither in South nor in North India. On the outer walls of the famous Chennakesava temple of the Hoyasala at Belur, Lakshmi Temple at Dola Gada Valley and Queen’s step-well (Rani-ki-vav) at Patan, Gujarat, some of these forms are incorporated but not all the 24 forms as prominently carved in Lord Jagannath temple walls. This makes the Jagannath Temple Puri a unique place of worship and a must-visit for devotees of Lord Vishnu.
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