Vishnu Temple, Gurha, Uttar Pradesh

Vishnu Temple, Gurha, Uttar Pradesh

Vishnu Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Gurha Village in Mehrauni Tehsil in Lalitpur District in Uttar Pradesh, India. The temple is one of the state protected monuments in Uttar Pradesh declared by Archaeological Survey of India.

History

This temple is believed to be built in 11^th century CE by the Chandelas of Jejakabhukti, an Indian dynasty ruled Central India particularly much of the Bundelkhand region (then called Jejakabhukti) between the 9^th and the 13^th centuries.

The Temple

This temple stands over a low raised platform. The temple consisted of sanctum and entrance porch. The entrance porch had been lost completely. The sanctum doorway is completely broken and can be found scattered around the temple. The base of the broken doorjamb carved with images of river goddesses Ganga & Yamuna with their attendants can be seen at the entrance of the sanctum. Though the temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the sanctum enshrines a Shiva Linga. The shikara over the sanctum had been lost completely. The exterior of the temple is decorated with niches housing images of Hindu deities on three sides, pilasters, floral motifs and geometrical patterns.

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 12 Kms from Bachhrai, 21 Kms from Madawara, 28 Kms from Mahrauni, 30 Kms from Malthone, 51 Kms from Tikamgarh, 55 Kms from Lalitpur, 57 Kms from Lalitpur Junction Railway Station and 225 Kms from Bhopal Airport. The temple is situated at about 12 Kms to the east of Bachhrai on Malthone to Mahrauni route.

Location

Mahadeva Temple, Gurha, Uttar Pradesh

Mahadeva Temple, Gurha, Uttar Pradesh

Mahadeva Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Gurha Village in Mehrauni Tehsil in Lalitpur District in Uttar Pradesh, India. The temple is one of the state protected monuments in Uttar Pradesh declared by Archaeological Survey of India.

History

This temple is believed to be built in 11^th century CE by the Chandelas of Jejakabhukti, an Indian dynasty ruled Central India particularly much of the Bundelkhand region (then called Jejakabhukti) between the 9^th and the 13^th centuries.

The Temple

This temple stands over a low raised platform. The temple consists of sanctum and entrance porch. The entrance porch is supported by two pillars and two pilasters. The sanctum doorway is intricately carved and has carvings of river goddesses Ganga & Yamuna with their attendants at its base. There is an inscription dated to 1092 CE can be seen above the lintel of the sanctum doorway.

The sanctum enshrines a Shiva Linga. The sanctum is crowned with a nagara style shikara. The top portion of the shikara had been lost completely. The exterior of the temple is decorated with niches housing images of Hindu deities on three sides, pilasters, floral motifs and geometrical patterns. There is a Sati slab with inscriptions dated to 14^th century CE can be seen in front of the temple.

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 12 Kms from Bachhrai, 21 Kms from Madawara, 28 Kms from Mahrauni, 30 Kms from Malthone, 51 Kms from Tikamgarh, 55 Kms from Lalitpur, 57 Kms from Lalitpur Junction Railway Station and 225 Kms from Bhopal Airport. The temple is situated at about 12 Kms to the east of Bachhrai on Malthone to Mahrauni route.

Location

Chandel Temples, Gonda, Uttar Pradesh

Chandel Temples, Gonda, Uttar Pradesh

Chandel Temples is a Hindu Temple Complex located in Gonda Village in Karvi Tehsil in Chitrakoot District in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. The temple complex is believed to be built by the Chandelas. The temple complex is protected as monuments of national importance by the central Archaeological Survey of India.

The Temple Complex

The temple complex consists of two shrines stands over a raised platform. Both shrines consists of sanctum, antrala and mandapa. One of the shrine has only sanctum and antrala with nagara style shikara but the mandapa has been lost completely. The other shrine has sanctum, antrala and mandapa. The superstructure over the sanctum and the walls of the mandapa had been lost completely.

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 4 Kms from Bharat Kup Bus Stand, 4 Kms from Bharat Kup Railway Station, 17 Kms from Chitrakoot, 18 Kms from Chitrakoot New Bus Stand, 20 Kms from Karvi, 23 Kms from Atarra and 123 Kms from Prayagraj Airport. The temple is situated at about 4 Kms to the south west of Bharat Kup Bus Stand on Karvi to Atarra route.

Location

Garhwa Fort, Shankargarh, Uttar Pradesh

Garhwa Fort, Shankargarh, Uttar Pradesh

Garhwa Fort is a Hindu Temple Complex dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Garhwa Village near Shankargarh Town in Bara Tehsil in the Prayagraj District in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. The fort complex is protected as monuments of national importance by the central Archaeological Survey of India.

History

The temple is believed to be built by the Guptas. The Shiva Linga was stolen by the British though the Sakthi Pita is seen among the recovered artefacts within the temple complex. Seven inscriptions from the reign of Chandra Gupta, Kumara Gupta and Skanda Gupta have been found in this site. Garhwa was called as Bhattagram / Bhattapraya during the Gupta period. The fortifications around the temple was built in 1750 CE by the Baghel King Vikramaditya.

The Fort Complex

The fort complex spreads over two-kilometer area. There are bastions on the four corners of the fort complex with easy access provided by a flight of steps. The most important structure in the fort complex is the Gupta era temple. It is situated in southwestern part of the fort. The temple measures about 55 feet in length and 30 feet in width with an east entrance. The temple was built in panchakona design. The temple consists of sanctum and a pillared mandapa.

The sanctum is square on plan. The Shiva Linga enshrined in the temple was stolen by the British, but the Sakthi Pita can be seen among the recovered artefacts within the complex. Two tanks can be seen on the eastern side of this temple. There are remains of medieval era structures in the complex. There are two stepwells in the complex. It is said that the stepwells never go dry. The temple has many relics dating from the Gupta period till British era.

The most notable relic in the complex is sculpture representing the ten incarnations (dasavathara) of Lord Vishnu, belonging to 11^th or 12^th century. There is a 10 feet tall image of four armed Vishnu in padmasana near the main temple. Sculptures of Lord Buddha, Ganesha & various other deities, architectural fragments, and inscriptions of Gupta period can be seen in the complex.

Most of the sculptures have been shifted to the State Museum of Lucknow for safety reasons. The sculptures of the Gupta period were made carved from pink sandstone while the sculptures of the medieval era were carved from grey sandstone. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is planning to build a museum in the complex.

Connectivity

The fort complex is located at about 5 Kms from Shankargarh, 5 Kms from Shankargarh Bus Stand, 7 Kms from Shankargarh Railway Station, 18 Kms from Bara, 32 Kms from Mau, 44 Kms from Prayagraj Airport and 47 Kms from Prayagraj. The fort complex is situated at about 5 Kms to the north of Shankargarh Bus Stand on Mau to Prayagraj route.

Location

Gupta Brick Temple, Bhitargaon, Uttar Pradesh

Gupta Brick Temple, Bhitargaon, Uttar Pradesh

Gupta Brick Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Bhitargaon Village in Ghatampur Tehsil in Kanpur Nagar District in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is one of the earliest and the largest surviving brick temples of India. The temple is protected as monuments of national importance by the central Archaeological Survey of India.

Legends

As per legends, Lord Shiva decided to perform intense penance. Lord Shiva requested Lord Vishnu to take care of the burden of the earth in his absence. Initially, Lord Vishnu was reluctant to agree. Later he agreed with a condition that if Lord Shiva give his base for bearing the burden of the earth. In memory of this event, the idol of Lord Vishnu of this temple can be seen standing over the argha of the Linga.

History

The temple is believed to be built in 5^th century CE during the Gupta period. It is one of the earliest surviving brick temples of India. Alexander Cunningham (First Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India, 1871) made two visits to this temple between November 1877 and February 1878. He recorded his visits in the report of the Gangetic Provinces 1875-76 and 1877-78.

The earliest photographs of the temple were taken by Beglar, assistant of Cunningham in 1878. The temple was in dilapidated state till the end of 19^th century CE. The current structure was reconstructed from the remains in 1905. As per local folklore, the village was middle part of an ancient city named Pushpur / Phulpur. 

The Temple

This temple is facing towards east and is a unique specimen of the brick architecture of the early Gupta period. The temple is about 68.25 feet tall. The temple stands over a low raised platform. The platform measures 36 feet x 47 feet. The temple is triratha on plan with projection on all sides. The temple is built on a square plan with double-recessed corners. The temple consists of sanctum, antrala and entrance porch.

The entrance into the antrala shows one of the first uses of a semicircular doorway. The sanctum is square on plan and measures 15 feet x 15 feet internally. The sanctum is empty now. The sanctum is crowned with a tall pyramidical shikhara. This shikhara became the standard feature of the Nagara temple architecture of India.

The interior of the temple is plain but on the outside it is decorated with carved brickwork and numerous terracotta panels. The external walls of the temple are decorated with terracotta panels enshrining images of Shiva & Parvati seated together, an eight-armed Vishnu, Mahishasura Mardini, Varaha and four armed Ganesha, etc. The panels are separated by ornamental pilasters.

Temple Opening Time

The temple remains open from 07.00 AM in the mornings till 07.00 PM in the evenings.

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 10 Kms from Sarh, 14 Kms from Ghatampur Bus Stand, 14 Kms from Ghatampur Railway Station, 15 Kms from Ghatampur, 17 Kms from Jahanabad, 33 Kms from Kanpur and 107 Kms from Lucknow Airport. The temple is situated on Ghatampur to Sarh route.

Location

Chaturbhuj Vishnu Temple, Tenduli, Uttar Pradesh

Chaturbhuj Vishnu Temple, Tenduli, Uttar Pradesh

Chaturbhuj Vishnu Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Tenduli Village in Bindki Tehsil in Fatehpur District in Uttar Pradesh, India. The temple is one of the state protected monuments in Uttar Pradesh declared by Archaeological Survey of India.

The Temple

This temple is facing towards north and stands over a raised platform. The platform can be reached after climbing flight of steps from the ground level. The temple consists of sanctum and antrala. The sanctum is square on plan internally but octagonal on plan externally. The sanctum enshrines an idol of Chaturbhuj Vishnu. The sanctum is crowned with a Latina shikara. The external walls have eight bhadras of which those on the cardinals are treated differently from the other. The exterior of the temple is decorated with Hindu deities, miniature niches, floral motifs and geometrical patterns.

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 4 Kms from Bindki Bus Stand, 5 Kms from Bindki, 8 Kms from Bindki Road Railway Station, 8 Kms from Choudagra, 32 Kms from Fatehpur, 57 Kms from Kanpur, 102 Kms from Lucknow Airport. The temple is situated on Bindki to Bindki Road Railway Station route.

Location