Ambernath Sri Ambreshwar Shiva Temple, Maharashtra

Address

Sri Ambreshwar Shiva Temple, new bhendipada, Bhaskar Nagar (East, Deepak Nagar) Ambernath, Maharashtra 421505

Diety

Ambreshwar (shiva)

Introduction

It is also known as the Ambreshwar Shiva Temple, and known locally as PuratanaShivalaya. It is situated on the bank of Vadavan (Waldhuni) river, 2 km away from Ambarnath railway station (East). The temple was built in 1060 AD beautifully carved in stone.The ShivaMandir of Ambarnath is a historic 11th-century Hindu temple, still in use, at Ambarnath near Mumbai, in Maharashtra, India. It was probably built by Shilahara king Chhittaraja, it may also have been rebuilt by his son Mummuni.Unusually, the sanctuary or garbhagriha is below ground, reached by some 20 steps down from the mandapa, and is open to the sky as the shikhara tower above stops abruptly at a little above the height of the mandapa, and was apparently never completed. It is in bhumija form, and if completed would have been close in form to the Udayesvara Temple also known as Neelkantheshwara temple in Udaipur, Madhya Pradesh, begun in 1059, It is clear from what was built that the shikhara would have followed these in having four corner bands of gavaksha-honeycomb sweeping uninterrupted up the full height of the tower, while in between each face has rows of five spirelets on individual podia, reducing in size up the tower. The mandapa has three porches. Much of the exterior figure carving is damaged, but some female and divine figures remain.