Madhya Bharat is dotted with exquisite temples, forts, palaces and mathas of different periods. Each and every village in this central province of India has at least one temple, a pillar with an inscription mentioning the names of great warriors and a fort or a grand structure built by the reigning kings that is either severely... Continue Reading →
Ashta (Aashta or Asta) Kali Mata Mandir in the quaint village of Asta is another architectural gem of the Yadavas of Devagiri built in the 13th century in the Hemadpanthi style of architecture by Raja Mahadeva (though some believe that it was built by Raja Ramachandra). Hemadpanthi style of architecture derives its name from Hemadri... Continue Reading →
The large red sandstone boulders of Kaimur Range have for long fascinated the rulers of Central India be it the Guptas, the Paramaras, the Chalukyas of Kalyani, Gurjara-Pratiharas, Gahadavalas and others to mention a few. Remarkable monolithic sculptures of red sandstone with exceptional detailing are found particularly in the Katni district of Madhya Pradesh. ... Continue Reading →
Bilhari village in Katni district has many abandoned and forgotten temples and grand structures of the early medieval period. One among them is the Vishnu Varaha Temple, a lesser-known architectural gem of the Chedi kings built in the 11th century located at a little distance from the Kamakandla Fort. The temple sits on a... Continue Reading →
A stunning fragment of the glorious reign of Maharaja Yuvarajadeva I of the Kalachuris of Tripuri (also known as Kalachuris of Chedi) that has largely remained in obscurity owing to its dilapidated state is the ancient building of Kamakandla. Though it is called as Kamakandla Fort, the typical architectural styling of a fort is missing.... Continue Reading →
Joda Temple, as the name suggests is a pair of temples located in the vibrant town of Baihar in Balaghat district. The 12th century temples face each other and are located by the side of an ancient tank. The temples are in a state of disrepair with a large section of architectural elements and... Continue Reading →
Some of the finest examples of the mastery of the Paramara dynasty is seen in the vibrant village of Un in Khargone district. Un was an important seat of learning, art and architecture during the reign of the Paramaras especially Raja Udayaditya. An inscription found on the wall of one of the temples indicates that... Continue Reading →
The Sun Temple located in the sleepy village of Madkhera in Tikamgarh district is a beautiful example of 9th century temple architecture. Built by the Gurjara-Pratiharas in the typical Nagara style of architecture, this marvellous structure has some of the most exquisite carvings of its time. This east-facing temple is built on a high... Continue Reading →
Chandreh Shiva Temple, situated on the right bank of the Son River is an outstanding example of a circular garbha griha. This ancient temple built in the 10th century (972 to 973 CE) by Raja Prabodh Shiva of Chedi is west-facing with a circular sanctum sanctorum preceded by an antarala and a mukha mandapa. Interestingly, this temple... Continue Reading →
Nau Toran Temple is a rare 11th century temple with some of the most exquisite toranas (gateway) of its time. The architectural styling and detailing seen on the carved toranas is reminiscent of Hindola Torana built by the Kachchhapaghata dynasty. This ancient temple has a porch, maha mandapa and garbha griha. The most striking feature... Continue Reading →
Shiva Mandapika Temple, an early example of Shaiva Siddhanta in Central India is located in the historical city of Mahua, formerly known as Madhumati. This 7th century temple known locally as Small Siva Temple is the oldest surviving temple of this village. The temple stands on a low platform and is built as a... Continue Reading →
A lesser-known 12th century fort dotted with exquisite architectural detailing, sculptures and temples reminiscent of Khajuraho is Lanjigarh located in Lanji in Balaghat district in Madhya Pradesh. This fort according to an inscription found in Bilaspur dated 1114 CE is said to have been built by Raja Malukoma, grandfather of Rajkumari Hasla, a martyr, who... Continue Reading →
Dharmarajeshwara Temple (Dharmarajeshwar Temple) is a structural and architectural ingenuity carved entirely out of natural rock. This 8th to 9th century monolithic rock-cut temple was built by either the Gurjara-Pratiharas or the Rashtrakutas, as at first glance, this temple looks a lot like the marvellous Kailasanatha Temple at Ellora Caves. The temple also known... Continue Reading →
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 →
Nohleshwar Shiv Mandir is a lesser-known architectural masterpiece built by the Kalachuris of Tripuri (also known as Kalachuris of Chedi) in the mid to late 10th century. Though locals opine that this temple was built by Yuvarajadeva I in honour of his wife Nohla Devi (Nohala according to some), the architectural style and detailing suggests... Continue Reading →
A stunning example of 10th century temple architecture of the Kalachuris of Tripuri also known as Kalachuris of Chedi is the Kodal Shiva Temple located in the remote Kodal village in Damoh district. This east-facing temple has the most exquisite sculptures of that period adorning the external façade. This centuries-old temple is built on... Continue Reading →
A fine example of the Bhumija style of architecture that made its mark during the reign of the Paramara dynasty (Paramaras of Malwa) is the Shiva Mandir located in the sleepy village of Bari Kanoda in Damoh district. This west-facing temple has likely been built towards the end of the 12th century by a local... Continue Reading →
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 →
Since the ancient times, Vidisha has been written about as a city of unparalleled art, architecture, literature, culture, opulence, riches and knowledge. The influence of the earliest dynasties that ruled over north and central India is seen in the remnants of sculptures, temples, halls and other structures across Vidisha. One of the lesser-known dynasties... Continue Reading →
One of the finest examples of the early Pratihara style of architecture in Central India is the Mahadeva Temple in Amrol village. This ancient temple is likely to have been built in the 8th century by either Nagabhata I or Vatsaraja. The temples built by the Pratiharas in Gwalior are considered by historians to be... Continue Reading →
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 →
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 →
One of the most ancient Shiva temples on the banks of the sacrosanct Rewa River is the Gupteshwar Mahadev Mandir in Jabalpur. Jabalpur is a part of the Narmada Parikrama and thousands of devotees come here every year to have darshan of Maa Narmada and participate in the aarti. This temple has been mentioned in the Koti... Continue Reading →
One of the most revered Durga Mata temples in India is the Vindyavasini Beejasan Durga Devi Temple located in Salkanpur village at a little distance from Hoshangabad that lies on the Narmada Parikrama. This ancient temple is situated atop a hillock at an elevation of 800 feet and accessed by a flight of about 1000... Continue Reading →
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