Chandpur Varaha Temple, Uttar Pradesh

Address

Chandpur Varaha Temple, Chandpur, Uttar Pradesh 284403

Diety

Vishnu

Introduction

The Varaha Temple is an ancient Chandela era temple located in Chandpur Village, in the Lalitpur Tehsil of Lalitpur District in Uttar Pradesh, India. This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu in His incarnation as Varaha, depicted in the form of a boar.

Dedication to Lord Vishnu (Varaha):

The Varaha Temple is dedicated to Varaha, one of the ten primary avatars (incarnations) of Lord Vishnu.
In this avatar, Lord Vishnu takes the form of a boar to rescue the Earth (personified as the goddess Bhudevi) from the demon Hiranyaksha, who had submerged the Earth in the cosmic ocean.

Unique Iconography:

The temple enshrines a large image of Varaha in His boar form, which is a unique representation of Lord Vishnu.
The image is believed to be carved with intricate detailing, displaying various deities from the Hindu pantheon on its body.

Architectural Characteristics:

The temple is located on the banks of a tank, and the tank surrounds it on three sides.
The architectural style of the temple and its location near a tank is characteristic of temples built during the Chandela dynasty.

Historical Inscription:

An inscription dated to 1148 CE can be seen on the pedestal of the Varaha image.
Historical inscriptions can provide valuable insights into the temple’s history, its patrons, and the era in which it was constructed.

Temple Ruins and Artifacts:

The Chandpur Group of Temples, to which the Varaha Temple belongs, contains several temple ruins within its premises.
Among these ruins, you can find the plinth of three large temples and several smaller temples, as well as a variety of architectural fragments and sculptures.
Some of these artifacts, including a damaged column with an inscription, contribute to our understanding of the site’s history and cultural significance.

Protected Monument:

The Chandpur Group of Temples, including the Varaha Temple, is recognized as a monument of national importance and is protected by the central Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The Varaha Temple is an important historical and archaeological site that provides valuable insights into the rich religious and artistic heritage of the region, as well as the significance of Lord Vishnu’s Varaha avatar in Hindu mythology. The existence of historical inscriptions and a unique iconographic representation adds to the temple’s cultural and historical significance.