Kanpur Bhitargaon Temple, Uttar Pradesh

Address

Kanpur Bhitargaon Temple, Bhitargaon, Uttar Pradesh 209214

Deity

Shiva

Introduction

Bhitargaon is a town in Kanpur district, Uttar Pradesh, India, known for its ancient temple, the largest Indian brick temple to survive from the time of the Gupta Empire. It is dated to the late 5th century. Bhitargaon Temple is regarded as the oldest Hindu sacred place having a high roof or shikhara. The 68.25-feet-tall structure from the ground was built with terracotta and 18-inch-long, 9-inch-wide and 3-inch bricks. It is built upon a 36-feet by 47-feet platform. The walls of the temple are 8 feet thick. According to the legend, it was located in the inner area of an ancient village called Phoolpur. Bhitargaon has an ancient temple which was built in 6th century during the golden Gupta period of India. Hence, the temple got its name after the village.

Puranic Significance

The Bhitargaon Temple is a terraced brick building fronted with a terracotta panel. Built in the 6th century during the Gupta Empire, it is the oldest remaining terracotta Hindu shrine with a roof and a high Sikhara, though its upper chamber did sustain some damage in the 18th century. The temple is built on a square plan with double-recessed corners and faces east. There tall pyramidal spire over the garbhagriha. The walls are decorated with terracotta panels depicting aquatic monsters, Shiva and Vishnu etc. When Cunningham first visited the site, the remains of the porch and of the ardhamandapa were still visible, this later collapsed.