Bhojeshwar Temple

Bhojeshwar temple stands on the right bank of river Betwa, 26 kms on south-east of Bhopal city. This unique bhojeswar shiva temple is incomplete due to some unkown reasons. It is ascribed to legendary King Bhojadeva of Parmara dynasty who ruled the region from 1010 A.D. to 1055 A.D. As per folklores, Kunti (mother of Pandav brothers) left Karan here on the bank of Betwa river. Architecture of this west facing lofty temple was unique. Temple was raised on a 106 ft long, 77 ft. wide and 17 ft. high platform. The incomplete roof of sanctum (Garbhgriha) is supported by four colossal pillars and twelve pilasters rising to a height of 40 ft. Square sanctum enshrines a polished Shiva-linga. Door-jambs are carved with figures of river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna on either sides.

One may be surprised to know that the Shiva Linga with its Yoni Patta rising to a height of 22 ft is tallest and grandest in the world. The huge Yoni Patta is made of a single block of stone broke into two pieces when a large size stone of the ceiling fell donw on it. Nowhere else in the world the ancient building technology of lifting large size stone architectural members to the top of the structure is extant. It is still a unsolved mystery as how the builders of the temple raised stone as large as 35 x 5 x 5 ft and weighing about 70 tones to the temple top. At a distance of few yards from temple, one can find engraved stencil on the rock surface that reveals the detail line drawings of the temple such as plan, elevation, pillars and pilaster, sikhara and kalasa. All such things make Bhojpur Shiva Temple as an unsurpassed heritage of mankind.

Northern India

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