Badoh – Pathari Group of Monuments – The Group of Monuments

Badoh – Pathari Group of Monuments – The Group of Monuments

The Badoh & Pathari Villages contain several Hindu temples, Jain temples and Buddhist monuments. Majority of the temples are smaller in size with plain roof, sometimes the ceiling is carved with a single lotus. Mandapika type of temples are found in significant number here.

Dasavathara Group of Temples (Temple Group – 1), Badoh:

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2021/11/dasavathara-group-of-temples-badoh-madhya-pradesh.html

Temple Group – 2:

The Temple Group – 2 is situated to the south east of Dasavathara Group of Temples (Temple Group – 1) in Badoh Village. This group consists of mainly two Mandapika type temples and a well in one corner of the temple group. Both the temples are in ruined condition. One of the temple is comparatively in good condition in the group. This temple is facing towards east. This temple consisted of sanctum and a mukha mandapa.

The mukha mandapa and the doorway of the sanctum are completely lost. The sanctum is triratha in plan. The exterior walls are decorated with pilasters adorned with  pot & foliage motif and lattice designs along with a low relief  sculpture under a niche in each of the bhadra ratha canopied by a long udgama. The temple group might have been dedicated to Lord Shiva as a Shaiva sculpture was found in the complex.

Temple Group – 3:

The Temple Group – 3 is situated to the south west of Dasavathara Group of Temples (Temple Group – 1) in Badoh Village. This group consists of mainly two Mandapika type temples and a Shiva Linga. The temples are much dilapidated. The south facing temple in the group consisted of sanctum and a mukha mandapa. The mukha mandapa is completely lost. The exterior walls are decorated with Ganesha, Mahishasura Mardini and a  seated deity on three sides. The temple group might have been dedicated to Lord Shiva as a Shiva Linga was found in the complex.

Shiva Temple near water reservoir in Badoh:

This temple is situated on the bank of a reservoir in Badoh Village. The temple is facing towards east and in dilapidated condition. The temple is built over a raised platform. The presiding deity in the sanctum is missing. The northern and the western wall of the sanctum is completely missing except the corner pillars.

The lintel of the sanctum doorway has a highly eroded image of Nataraja flanked by Brahma and Vishnu at the cardinal ends. The sanctum doorway has five bands of decoration. River Goddesses Ganga & Yamuna accompanied by their female attendants can be seen at the base of the doorjambs. The shikara over the sanctum is missing.

Satmarhi Group of Temples (Temple Group – 4):

The Satmarhi Group of Temples (Temple Group – 4) is situated at about 3 Kms at the foot of a hill to the north east of Dasavathara Group of Temples (Temple Group – 1) in Pathari Village. The temple group consists of seven temples. Out of seven temples, four temples follow Mandapika style. The temples are in dilapidated state and stands over a common platform. The temples are devoid of central deity. The temples in the group are dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu.

There is a west facing Vishnu temple in the temple group. The lintel of the sanctum doorway has an image of Lord Vishnu riding over Garuda flanked by flying Vidyadharas and female figure holding veena at the cardinal ends. The doorway has four bands of decoration. River Goddesses Ganga & Yamuna accompanied by their female attendants can be seen at the base of the doorjambs. The exterior wall is devoid of any decoration. The shikara over the sanctum is missing.

There is a Shiva temple situated to the left side of the Vishnu temple in the temple group. The temple consists of sanctum and a mukha mandapa. The sanctum is triratha in plan. The lintel of the sanctum doorway has an image of Nataraja flanked by Navagrahas and Sapta Matrikas & Ganesha at the left side. The exterior wall is decorated with figures of Ganesha, Yama, Surya, etc. The shikara over the sanctum is missing.

Temple Group – 5:

The Temple Group – 5 is situated to the south west of the Satmarhi Group of Temples (Temple Group – 4) in Pathari Village. The temple group consists of two Mandapika style temples. Both the temples are in dilapidated state and consisted sanctum and a pillared mandapa. A portion of the mandapa is survived in one of the temple while the mandapa is completely lost in the other temple. The Temple No – 1 in this group is facing towards east.

There is no deity in the sanctum. The bhadra niches houses images of Ganesha on the southern side, Kartikeya on the western side and Parvati on the northern side of the sanctum. This temple might have been dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Temple No – 2 is similar to the Temple No – 1 in plan. The lintel of the sanctum doorway has a badly eroded central figure flanked by Navagrahas.

Bhim Gaja:

Bhim Gaja (Garuda Dhwaja), a monolithic pillar, is situated in Pathari village. It is about 40 metres tall with two faced Garuda on top and stands over a raised platform. The capital of the pillar has not survived. There are two sati stones near to this pillar with Sanskrit inscriptions. There is an inscription on this pillar dated to 861 CE. It records that the pillar was installed by the minister of Rashtrakuta King Prabala. It further records that the Kinga Prabala built a Vishnu temple nearby. The Vishnu temple built by him was converted to a Shiva temple and can be seen nearby.

Shiva Temple near Bhimgaja:

This Temple is situated close to Bhimgaja in Gadi Mohalla in Pathari Village. This temple is facing towards east. The temple consists of sanctum, antrala and mukha mandapa. The sanctum is intact but the antrala and mukha mandapa are survived only in their lower portion. The sanctum enshrines a Shiva Linga. The lintel of the sanctum doorway has a central image of Vishnu over Garuda. Navagrahas are shown in architrave of the lintel. The exterior wall of the sanctum is damaged. The shikara over the sanctum is missing.

Kutakeswara Temple:

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2021/11/kutakeswara-temple-pathari-madhya-pradesh.html

Solah Khambi:

Solah Khambi is a flat roofed structure supported by sixteen pillars. The structure is named after the sixteen pillars (Solah Khambi). The structure is believed to be built in 8^th century CE.

Gyannath Hill Shiva Temples:

There are two temples situated on the Gyannath hill in Badoh Village. Both the temples are in dilapidated condition. One temple consists of pillars and architectural fragments while the other temple has only its foundation.

Gadarmal Devi Temple:

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2021/11/gadarmal-devi-temple-badoh-madhya-pradesh.html

Jain Temple Complex, Badoh:

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2021/11/jain-temple-complex-badoh-madhya-pradesh.html

Relief of Sapta Matrikas:

This cave temple is situated at the southwestern foot Gyannath Hill. This temple might have been built in 5^th century CE by the rulers of later Gupta period. The cave would have enshrined a four faced Linga in ancient times. There is a relief depicting the Sapta Matrikas (Seven mother goddesses) to the right side of the cave. The relief is similar to the Saptamatrikas panel at Udayagiri and considered to be one of the earliest representations of Sapta Matrikas.

The relief is eroded and depicts the goddesses in bhadrasana posture. A carving of a male figure probably Veerabhadra, in lalitasana posture can be seen on the far-left side of the Sapta Matrikas. The inscription in the site refer to a king named Maharaja Jayatsena. Most of the lines in the inscription are not legible.

Buddhist Stupa:

A remain of a circular stupa can be seen on Gyannath hill in Badoh Village. There is an image of Buddha in Vidisha State museum. It is said that the image was brought from this place. The image might belong to this stupa.