Good morning.
Today's temple is Bhojeshwar temple near Bhopal.
Bhojpur is a famous huge heritage active temple of lord Shiva in Madhya Pradesh state. It was founded by the Parmar king of Dhar, Raja Bhoj (1010-53) and was named after him. 28 km from Bhopal, Bhojpur is famous as an archeological site because of its magnificent remains of Shiva Temple and Cyclopean dam. The Shiva Temple has earned the title of the Somnath of the East and is called Bhojeshwar Temple.
The temple is a simple square with outside portion of 66 feet, there are no re-entrant angles usual domes, though it is incomplete but has a magnificent soaring strength of line and is supported by four pillars. Like dome the pillars are also massive but they retain a remarkable elegance due to their tapering form. Divided into three sections the lowest is an octagon with facets of 2.12 feet, from which springs a 24-faced section. The doorway is richly carved from above and from below it is plain throwing sharp relief against the two exquisitely sculpted figures that stand on the either side. The other three sides are balconies each supported by massive brackets and four intricately carved pillars. The lingam in the sanctum rises to an awe inspiring height of 7.5 feet with a circumference of 17.8 feet. Set upon a massive platform 21.5 feet square and made of three superimposed limestone blocks, the architectural harmony of lingam and platform creates a superb synthesis of solidity and lightness. Due to reason unknown the temple was not completed and the earthen ramp used to raise it to dome level still stands. If it would have been completed than definitely it would have been a masterpiece of its kind, and would have had no comparison to any other, any where in the world.
The temple is one of the finest examples of temple architecture of the12th and 13th centuries. Also incomplete with a similar stone raising ramp is a Jain shrine that stands close to the Bhojeshwar temple. In this shrine there are three figures of the tirthankaras contained within one colossal statue 20 feet high, one of Mahavira and two of Parsvanath. West of Bhojpur once a vast lake, but nothing remains now except the ruins of the magnificent old dams by which its water were contained. The site was chosen with great skill as a natural wall of hills enclosed the whole area except for two gaps. The embankments held up an expanse of water of about 250 square miles.
This great work is ascribed to Raja Bhoj, but it may possible be of an earlier date.
Today's temple is Bhojeshwar temple near Bhopal.
Bhojpur is a famous huge heritage active temple of lord Shiva in Madhya Pradesh state. It was founded by the Parmar king of Dhar, Raja Bhoj (1010-53) and was named after him. 28 km from Bhopal, Bhojpur is famous as an archeological site because of its magnificent remains of Shiva Temple and Cyclopean dam. The Shiva Temple has earned the title of the Somnath of the East and is called Bhojeshwar Temple.The temple is a simple square with outside portion of 66 feet, there are no re-entrant angles usual domes, though it is incomplete but has a magnificent soaring strength of line and is supported by four pillars. Like dome the pillars are also massive but they retain a remarkable elegance due to their tapering form. Divided into three sections the lowest is an octagon with facets of 2.12 feet, from which springs a 24-faced section. The doorway is richly carved from above and from below it is plain throwing sharp relief against the two exquisitely sculpted figures that stand on the either side. The other three sides are balconies each supported by massive brackets and four intricately carved pillars. The lingam in the sanctum rises to an awe inspiring height of 7.5 feet with a circumference of 17.8 feet. Set upon a massive platform 21.5 feet square and made of three superimposed limestone blocks, the architectural harmony of lingam and platform creates a superb synthesis of solidity and lightness. Due to reason unknown the temple was not completed and the earthen ramp used to raise it to dome level still stands. If it would have been completed than definitely it would have been a masterpiece of its kind, and would have had no comparison to any other, any where in the world.
The temple is one of the finest examples of temple architecture of the12th and 13th centuries. Also incomplete with a similar stone raising ramp is a Jain shrine that stands close to the Bhojeshwar temple. In this shrine there are three figures of the tirthankaras contained within one colossal statue 20 feet high, one of Mahavira and two of Parsvanath. West of Bhojpur once a vast lake, but nothing remains now except the ruins of the magnificent old dams by which its water were contained. The site was chosen with great skill as a natural wall of hills enclosed the whole area except for two gaps. The embankments held up an expanse of water of about 250 square miles.
This great work is ascribed to Raja Bhoj, but it may possible be of an earlier date.
