Category: Architecture

Brahmanical Rock-cut Temple (Dharamarajeshwara Temple), Chandwasa Village, Garoth Tehsil, Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh

Dharmarajeshwara Temple (Dharmarajeshwar Temple) is considered to be one of the most structurally and architecturally ingenious temples carved entirely out of natural rock. This 8th to 9th century monolithic rock-cut temple was probably built by the Gurjara-Pratiharas or perhaps the Rashtrakutas, as at first glance, this temple looks a lot like the marvellous Kailasanatha Temple... Continue Reading →

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Large Siva Temple, Mahua Village, Khaniadhana Tehsil, Shivpuri District, Madhya Pradesh

A little-known architectural gem built towards the end of the 7th century is the ancient Shiva Temple located in the historically important Mahua village in Shivpuri district. Mahua, formerly known as Madhumati as per a Ranod inscription has many temples (though now in ruins) of great antiquity.   There is very little information available about... Continue Reading →

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Rameshwar Mandir, Rameshwar Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh

The next stop on the sacrosanct Kashi Panchkroshi Yatra after Kardameshwar Mahadev Mandir and Bhimchandi Mandir is the ancient Rameshwar Mandir situated on the bank of the Varuna River in Rameshwar village. This temple of great antiquity is considered by many to be the most important kshetra or tirthstala in the Panchkroshi Yatra.   According to the Kashi Khanda... Continue Reading →

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Maladevi Temple (Maladevi Jain Temple), Gyaraspur Tehsil, Vidisha District, Madhya Pradesh

One of the lesser-known architectural masterpieces of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty is the Maladevi Temple located on the eastern edge of a steep slope overlooking the Manosarovar Talab in Gyaraspur. As this late 9th century temple is hardly a kilometre away from Hindola Torana, one can question if these two temples though built at different times... Continue Reading →

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Raisen Fort, Raisen, Madhya Pradesh

Raisen Fort located in Raisen in Madhya Pradesh is considered to be years ahead of its time in terms of structural and architectural innovation. This fort is widely believed to be one of the most difficult forts to breach and has been at the centre of many battles led by Muslim invaders from the 13th... Continue Reading →

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Sahastradhara, Mandla, Madhya Pradesh

One of the most revered places in Mandla is Sahastradhara, located at a little distance from the heart of the town. Sahastradhara derives its name from the Sanskrit words sahastra which means thousand and dhārā which means streams or watercourses.   According to the Puranas, Ravana, Lord of Lanka chanced upon the serene waters of the... Continue Reading →

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Baneshwar Temple, Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh

The picturesque city of Maheshwar, located on the banks of the sacrosanct Rewa River is synonymous with history, culture, art, architecture, faith, spirituality, courage, patriotism and romanticism. Every square inch of this ancient city has a story that will be leave you spellbound.   Maheshwar is one of the most important kshetras on the Narmada Parikrama and... Continue Reading →

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Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Situated on the western bank of the sacrosanct Ganga River in Varanasi, is the grand temple of Kashi Vishwanath. As the name suggests, this ancient temple is dedicated to Vishwanatha or Vishweshwara meaning 'Ruler of the Universe' and is the first and only Jyotirlinga located on the banks of the Ganges.   Varanasi also known... Continue Reading →

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Karna Matha Temples (Amarkantak Group of Ancient Temples), Amarkantak, Anuppur District, Madhya Pradesh

The Narmada Parikrama, a 3500-km journey that starts near the Arabian Sea in Gujarat takes one to the origin of the Narmada River at Amarkantak. Known as Amarkuta in Kalidasa's Meghaduta, Amarkantak has been mentioned in the Hindu scriptures as a mountain of incalculable sanctity. Amarkantak is one of the most frequented places of pilgrimage in... Continue Reading →

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Hath-tala Gauranga Mahaprabhu Temple, Illambazar, West Bengal

An exquisite 19th century terracotta temple commonly known as the ‘temple in the bazaar’ holds its own in the busy marketplace of Hath-tala (Hathtala) in Illambazaar. This temple draws the interest of visitors from across states for its unusual octagonal shape and stunning terracotta carvings.   Hath-tala Gauranga Mahaprabhu Temple is one of the many temples... Continue Reading →

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Navaratna Gopal Lakshmi Janardan Temple, Ghurisha Village, Illambazar Block, Birbhum District, West Bengal

The charming village of Ghurisha, once an important seat of Sanskrit and literature is dotted with many fine examples of terracotta temples built in the traditional Bengali style of chala and ratna. The temples of Ghurisha and surrounding villages have been documented at length by Mukul Dey of Shantiniketan and David McCutchion.   One of the most interesting... Continue Reading →

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Jora Bangla Durga Temple, Bali Dewanganj, Hooghly District, West Bengal

The Durga Temple in the quaint village of Bali Deewanganj (widely believed to be two villages – Bali and Deewanganj) is one of a kind temple harmoniously incorporating two distinctive styles of Bengali temple architecture namely the chala (hut type roof) and the ratna (pinnacle). This temple has captured the interest of architects, historians and heritage enthusiasts for two reasons... Continue Reading →

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Kalpa Devi Temple and Astika Baba Temple, Nasirabad Village, Sidhauli Tehsil, Sitapur District, Uttar Pradesh

Two groups of brick temples, Kalpa Devi and Astika Baba located close to each other in Nasirabad village in the historical district of Sitapur bearing striking similarities to the brick temples built during the Gupta period have captured the interest of architects, archaeologists and historians for decades. There are remains of as many as six... Continue Reading →

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Kandhar Fort, Kandhar, Nanded District, Maharashtra

A stunning find of a fragmentary stone inscription in an old well near Kandhar in 1959 with a detailed description of the buildings in the ancient capital and the philanthropic activities of Raja Krishna III of the mighty Rashtrakuta dynasty threw light on one of the unknown capitals of the dynasty. The inscription mentions the... Continue Reading →

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Ambernath Shiv Temple, Ambernath, Maharashtra

One of the oldest temples of the Konkan coastal stretch is the Ambernath Shiv Temple located at Ambernath about 50 km from Mumbai. Ambernath literally means Lord of the Sky or Space and interestingly, this temple does not have a roof over the sanctum sanctorum! Locals believe that the presiding deity may have been named... Continue Reading →

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Raja Karna ka Kila (Raja Karna’s Fort), Mirzapur Village, Thanesar Tehsil, Kurukshetra District, Haryana

Our quest to draw a map of ancient India specifically the Mahabharat era leads us to Mirzapur village in the municipality of Thanesar in Kurukshetra district. The ancient town of Thanesar also known as Sthaneshwar, deriving its name from the presiding deity, Lord Shiva who is seated at Sthaneshwar Mahadev Temple is considered to be... Continue Reading →

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Achalgarh Fort, Achalgarh Village, Mount Abu, Rajasthan

One of the most interesting forts of Rajasthan is the lesser-known Achalgarh Fort nestled high in the Aravalli Range. This magnificent fort sits atop a hill in the picturesque village of Achalgarh, a few kilometres away from the famous Dilwara Temples. The Achalgarh Fort complex situated in an eco-sensitive zone is steeped in history, religion... Continue Reading →

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Arumbavur Wood Carvings

The quaint town of Arumbavur located in Veppanthattai taluk of Perambalur district is renowned for the five-hundred-year-old craft of wood carving. In the earlier days, the sthapathis used to travel from temple to temple creating masterpieces like the ratha (chariot), utensils, statues and other iconography as per the tenets of Shilpa Shastra. Many of these original pieces of art are... Continue Reading →

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Konark Stone Carving

The finest examples of the ancient craft of stone carving adorn the temples of Puri, Bhubaneswar and Konark and is a tribute to the architectural ingenuity that Odisha is renowned for. The sculptures with its exquisite detailing and craftsmanship were an expression of love, devotion and faith and went beyond religion into the realm of... Continue Reading →

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