Bhojpur Bhojeshwar Temple, Madhya Pradesh

Address

Bhojpur Bhojeshwar Temple, Bhojpur, Madhya Pradesh 464551

Diety

Bhojeshwar Amman: Parvati

Introduction

Bhojpur is a town of historical and religious importance in Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh, India. Bhojpur is situated on the Betwā River, 28 km from Bhopal, the state capital of Madhya Pradesh. The site is located on sandstone ridges typical of central India, next to a deep gorge through which the Betwā River flows. Bhojpur is famous for the incomplete Bhojeśvar temple dedicated to Shiva. The site is under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India as a monument of national importance. The temple houses one of the largest liṅga-s in India, 5.5 m (18 ft) tall and 2.3 m (7.5 ft) in circumference. It is crafted out a single rock. The liṅga was repaired by the Archaeological Survey of India who also added a roof over the top to prevent weather damage.

Puranic Significance

The 12th century Bhojeshwar Temple is considered to be one of the finest examples of temple architecture in the region. At its core is the abstract representation of the deity Shiva, or ‘linga’, in the temple sanctum. It’s 2.35 metres high with a circumference of nearly 6 metres. Above it is an ornately-carved ceiling with rock-carved sculptures. This temple complex was built between the 9th and 11th centuries and consists of 24 temple bases with thousands of architectural fragments scattered around the hills. The building as it stands consists of the inner cella or garbhagṛha, supported by massive pillars, surmounted with an elegant corbelled dome. The outer walls and superstructure of the temple were never built, but unfinished parts lie nearby.