Gondeshwar Temple A.blackstone temple of the Hemantpadi style of architecture

Gondeshwar Temple A.blackstone temple of the Hemantpadi style of architecture.

Ancient temples are treasure troves of history. These shrines were not merely religious sanctums but were pivotal centres for sharing knowledge and research on regional history, sociology, good governance and tradition.

Weathered by the wind and sun for centuries, one such splendid black-stone temple is Sri Gondeshwar at the north east of Sinnar town. The place is 26 kms Nashik and 190 kms from Mumbai. According to Cunningham's report, the earliest historical mention of Sinnar appears to be in a copperplate grant of 1069 A. D.

The temple is in the Hemadpanthi style of architecture, which was popularized by Hemadri Pandit, also known as Hemadpant, a minister during the Yadav Dynasty. The most striking feature of the construction was the use of locally available black stone and lime, glorifying the local craftsmanship.The degree of skill that went into making the carved panels and the entire design of the temple is awesome.

Lying around the crumbling remains of the temple walls and the entrance gate, this stone wonder is still the largest, most complete and the best-preserved example of the mediaeval temples of the Deccan of the Indo-Aryan style. It is a Shaiva Panchayatan, or a group of five temples within a large enclosure. The central shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva and the remaining four around it are temples to Sri Parvati, Sri Ganapati, Surya Bhagwan and Lord Vishnu. The temple is truly unique in design, perfect in proportion and the stone carvings are exquisitely beautiful.

At its peak, the Seuna or Yadava dynasty (850 - 1334) ruled a kingdom stretching from the Tungabhadra to the Narmada Rivers, including present-day Maharashtra, north Karnataka and parts of Madhya Pradesh. The capital was at Devagiri, now known as Daulatabad in Maharashtra. The reign of the Yadava dynasty declined after the conquest of the Daulatabad Fort by Alauddin Khilji in 1294. Further conquest by Malik Kafur, Alauddin's general, in 1312 resulted in the killing of the members of the Yadava clan ending this illustrious dynasty. The contribution of Sevunas to architecture and art are significant. They opted for continuation of Dakhan.

Some sources claim that Raj Govinda of Yadava dynasty built this great temple. Yet another tradition assigns the building to Govindaraja, another Yadava king who ruled about the beginning of the twelfth century A. D.

The central shrine consists of a congregation hall or Sabhamandap and the inner sanctum Gabhara Griha, crowned by a tower-like Shikara enshrines the Shiva lingam. It is beautifully proportioned and bounded by three imposing pillared porches. Inside, the temple is profusely decorated. These black stone pillars are such that they appear to have been turned on a lathe. Similarly ceiling carvings are carved out of single stones.

The temple in the Deccan style is different from north Indian temples. Here, the shikhara does not have turrets grouped around the lower part of the structure. Instead the shikhara has a distinct vertical band rising upwards along each of its angles and taking the form of a spine or quoin. The space in between is filled with smaller reproductions of the shikhara. The pillared hall carved with tortoise, the Kurma Avatar of Lord Vishnu, on the ground, is small, elegant and unique in this part of the country.

Facing the main entrance is a Nandi pavillion housing a stone
stone bull which is the vahan or vehicle of Lord Shiva. Gondeshwar templeThe striking feature of the Gondeshwar temple is the deep projections and the alcove on the wall surfaces. Rising upwards, these catch the natural light, or fall in deep shade. To counter this effect, a series of horizontal moldings have been laid across the entire composition. The entire temple was built on a raised platform to facilitate pradakhshina or circumambulation and provide a wonderful view of the sculptures all around the walls of the shrine. Even today, so many years after it was built, it is regarded as an adobe of Lord Shiva by worshippers.

Restoration work by Archaeological Survey of India has brought back the past glory of this architectural wonder and it acts as an eloquent reminder of our heritage.

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Photo Credit: Dhruba Banerjee

History of Mahasthangarh

History of Mahasthangarh :-
Mahasthangarh (Bengali: মহাস্থানগড় Môhasthangôṛ) is one of the earliest urban archaeological sites so far discovered in Bangladesh. The village Mahasthan in Shibganj thana of Bogra District contains the remains of an ancient city which was called Pundranagara or Paundravardhanapura in the territory of Pundravardhana. A limestone slab bearing six lines in Prakrit in Brahmi script, discovered in 1931, dates Mahasthangarh to at least the 3rd century BC. The fortified area was in use till the 18th century AD. Together with the ancient and medieval ruins, the mazhar (holy tomb) of Shah Sultan Balkhi Mahisawar built at the site of a Hindu temple is located at Mahasthangarh. He was a dervish (holy person devoted to Islam) of royal lineage who came to the Mahasthangarh area, with the objective of spreading Islam among non-Muslims. He converted the people of the area to Islam and settled there.

The Leaning Temple of Huma

The Leaning Temple of Huma in India is the only leaning temple in the world. It is located in Huma, a village situated on the bank of the Mahanadi, 23 km south of Sambalpur in the Indian state of Orissa

Badami cave temples.

Natraj ( Lord Shiva Dancing )

Cave No. 1 at Badami Cave, 6th Century CE,Bhagalkot District,Karnataka, India.

Badami has four cave temples which were excavated during the Chalukyan period ( 6th- 8th Century CE ). These cave temples were carved after the Ajanta Caves. They may not be as elaborate as the Ajanta Caves, but they continued the same traditions. In fact, the Badami caves are influenced by the Ajanta Caves. But compared to the Ajanta, these caves are modest in size, and in complexity. But nonetheless, this is the beginning of Hindu art as compared to the Buddhist art of Ajanta.
We do not know the chronological order in which the caves were carved. But Cave No. 1 being the simplest may have been carved as the first cave. Although the Chalukyan Royalty were Vaishnavites, but Cave No. 1 is a Shaivite cave. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
On the outer wall of the Cave is this over life size sculpture of Lord Shiva as a dancer or Natraj. The most famous Natrajs are of course the Chola Bronze ones. But here we see Natraj depicted for the first time. He has eighteen arms, he stands on a pedestal, while Lord Ganesh, like a child, tries to imitate His father. Nandi, the bull, stands quietly as though nothing is happening. A drummer beats the rhythmic patterns of the music.
It is said that the eighteen arms capture different postures of Bharatnatyam. It is not that the God has eighteen arms, He could have just two arms. But the arms are shown in motion. It is a continuous narrative, as it were. But the image is a dynamic one. The flaying arms capture the fast movement, the rhythm ofthe dance.
It is dance which represents the whirling universe: it turns and twists, it moves and swirls. It is still yet in movement. The universe dances to Time ( the drummer). But a sense of calmness pervades with a sense of wisdom ( Lord Ganesh). However, through life, through its ups and downs, Nature is unmoved (Nandi, the bull ). The over lifesize sculpture is not about a God who is merely dancing; it is an existentialist statement. It is full of philosophy.

Chennakeshava temple

 Chennakeshava temple -Built by Amarasilpi Jakkanachari

1.Amarashilpi Jakanacharya was a legendary sculptor credited with building many fine temples for the Kalyani Chalukyas and Hoysalas.

2.Jakanacharya was born in a small village called Kaidala, Karnataka. The original name of the town as per records was Kridapura. His life was one of love and dedication to art. His career began when Nripa Haya ruled as a local chieftain of the area.

3.Interesting life story of Jakkanachari :

As per local tales, he left home shortly after his marriage seeking fame in his field of work. He traveled far and wide building many temples and became so engrossed in his work that he forgot all about his wife.Jakanacharya's wife gave birth to his child, named Dankanacharya. Dankanacharya himself grew up to become a famous sculptor and set out to find his father.

At Belur, he found a job as a sculptor and noticed a flaw in a figure sculpted by the great Jakanacharya himself. Dankanacharya told Jakanacharya that the stone which he was carving had a toad living inside which was a considered to be a flaw by the sculptors. Furious at this, Jakanacharya challenged to cut off his right hand if the young sculptor was correct in his assessment of the sculpture.

Dankanacharya chiseled the place where the flaw was present and a toad jumped out with a little water flowing from that spot. Upon testing the figure, the flaw was indeed revealed and Jakanacharya kept his promise and cut off his right hand. Eventually, the two sculptors become aware of their relationship as father and son.

Subsequently, Jakanacharya received a vision to build the Chennakeshava temple in his native place Kridapura. After this was completed, legend has it that God restored his right hand. In celebration of this incident, Kridapura was henceforth called Kaidala. The term Kai in Kannada means "hand".

4. Jakkanachari is credited to many finest carvings and sculptures in Hasan and Halebidu, Karnataka.Each carving is known for its crystal clear detailing and grace.The government of Karnataka confers the Jakanachari Awards to talented sculptors and craftsmen from the state every year to celebrate the contributions of this great architect.

Navlakha Temple, Ghumli Jamnagar Gujrat

In the Barda Hills, you can visit Ghumli’s famous temples such as the magnificent Navlakha Temple from the Solanki dynasty and the Vikia Vav, perhaps one of the largest stepwells in Gujarat. You can trek in the Wildlife Sanctuary, though spotting wildlife is, as usual, often difficult. These hills are also home to the Maldhari, Bharvad, Rabari and Gadhvi tribal communities. The main entrance is from the Porbandar side of the hills, but there are also entries from Jamnagar District, either from Kapudi naka, taking a car up to Kileshwar Temple and hiking down, or from Abhapara Hill. There are no lodging facilities, but camping is possible with permission. Contact Conservator of Forests Office, Porbandar, Tel: 02862242551.

How to get there

By road: Dwarka is on the state highway from Jamnagar to Dwarka. Direct buses available from Jamnagar and Ahmedabad.

By rail: Dwarka is a station on the Ahmedabad-Okha broad gauge railway line, with trains connecting it to Jamnagar (137 km), Rajkot (217 km) and Ahmedabad (471 km), and some trains that continue all the way down the coast through Vadodara, Surat, Mumbai, Goa, Karnataka, to the southern tip of India in Kerala.

By air: Nearest airport is Jamnagar (137 km).

 http://www.jamnagar.org/gopgumli.htm

Virateswar temple of Shahdol

Virateshwar temple is a famous temple of Lord Shiv which is situated in Sohagpur Vanganga., at Shahdol , Chattisgarh of Kalachuri's of Dakshin Koshala!! 

Virateshwar temple is a famous temple of Lord Shiv which is situated in Sohagpur Vanganga. Kalchuri Kings ruled Dakshina Koshala [ ttoday's chattisgarh] between 322 CE and 567 CE to present it to the Acharya of Golkaki Math. 

In the beautiful campus of this 70 feet high temple you will find this beautiful example of Kalchuri Age architecture. When you ascend the five steps of the terrace of this temple, you will find Nandi and Lion welcoming you. 

There is a beautiful bronze of Mahavir, Shiv and Parvati in dancing posture, the bronze of Saraswati, Ganesh, Vishnu, Nrisingh, Vyal, admirable adolescent woman taking out a thorn, fighting men, Lord Krishna playing flute, admirable amative postures accompanying to Kamsutra, Vinavadini, and Ardhnarishwar will absorb you during watching of temple.