Baroli Temples

Coordinates: 24°57′29″N 75°35′37″E / 24.95806°N 75.59361°E / 24.95806; 75.59361
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Baoooli Temples Complex
Gurjara-Pratihara
Completed10th century

The Baroli Temples Complex, also known as the Badoli temples, is located in Baroli village in

Rajasthan, India. The complex of eight temples is situated within a walled enclosure; an additional temple is about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) away. They are built in the Gurjara Pratihara style of temple architecture dated to the tenth century CE and today show various degree of preservation, decay and destruction.[1][failed verification][2][unreliable source?][failed verification] All nine temples are under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India for conservation and protection.[3] A well known art critic[who?] characterised "the creations of Badoli as the most perfect of their age that he had encountered within that part of the country and, in their own peculiar style."[4]

Location

Sringar Chauri of the 10th-century Ghateshwara Mahadeva Temple

The Baroli Temples Complex is located in Baroli village in

jamun trees.[2][3][5]

History

Though the history of the Baroli Temples is not very clear,

Gurjara-Pratihara Empire in the 10th–11th centuries.[3] They are one of the earliest temple complexes in Rajasthan.[1][5] A carved stone image of the god Nataraja was stolen from the Baroli temple complex in 1998. It has been traced to a private collector in London. However, the statue has now been recovered.[7]
[8]

Features

A typical architectural feature in the temples of the complex

The 10th-century Baroli Temples are of great architectural interest, consisting of temple structures built in the Gurjara-Pratihara architectural style, with exquisitely carved stonework. They are in differing stages of upkeep, with some in a semi-ruined state.[1]

There are 8 major temples in Baroli and a ninth about one kilometre away. Four temples are dedicated to Shiva (including Ghateshwara Mahadeva Temple), two to Durga and one each to Shiva-Trimurti, Vishnu and Ganesha.[1]

The Nataraja (Natesha) images carved in these temples are similar to those seen at Upramala. The sculpture has 16 arms and its headdress is matted. There is a large diadem carved at the centre top of the skull, which is "garnished with beaded swags." The facial features are very fine, with high arched brows and full mouth.[9]

Temples

Ghateshwara Mahadeva temple

Ghateshwara Mahadeva temple

The

pilasters. The pilasters, which are part of the sanctum wall, project from the wallby two-thirds of its width, and have niches encased with sculptures.[10]

The mukhamandapa serves as a pillared entrance that leads to the sanctum. Shiva's mount

Nandi (the bull) is installed between the mukhamandapa and the sanctum. The niches inside the temple are decorated with elegantly carved images of Andhakantaka (shiva slaying the demon Andhaka), Nataraja (Shiva as the Lord of dance) and the goddess Chamunda; similar images are also carved on the lintel above the entrance door. The mukhamandapa also has many carved images of semi-clad, dancing apsaras (heavenly nymphs). The ceiling is decorated with concentric forms with coiffured cusps.[1]

The Sringar Chauri or rangamandapa (the hall of dance) is a later addition to the temple, situated just outside it. The large pillared hall is built over a raised platform called a

Ganga and Yamuna as dwarapalas (door-keepers), the trinity images of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva, and several depictions of Shiva in his different incarnations. Twenty pillars around the perimeter of the hall are simple in design.[11]

There is a sacred tank next to the temple which has a tiered approach leading to the edge of the water.[1]

Ganesha temple

Temple of Ganesha

Dedicated to Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of wisdom, this temple faces east. While the main temple structure is built of stones, the superstructure of the shikara is brick. Dated to the 10th century, the shrine has a projecting vestibule and an atiratha sanctum. The door is without any decorations. The arms and feet of the image of Ganesha have been cut off, possibly by invading Islamic armies.[12]

Shiva temple in the temple tank

Shiva temple in the tank

This Shiva temple, also dated to the 10th century, has a sanctum with the divine linga in the middle of the sacred tank. Built in the Pancharatha style, it faces east. The portico in front of the sanctum is a single bay built with pillars.[13]

Vamanavatar temple

The 10th-century Vamanavatar temple is a small shrine dedicated to a four-armed image of Vamana, the fifth avatar of the god Vishnu. The sanctum is covered with a flat slab as a ceiling. While a vestibule and an entrance are extant, the pinnacle is missing.[1][14]

Trimurti temple

Defaced Trimurti Shiva

The Trimurti temple, dated to the 10th century, is partially damaged. It is situated in the south east of the temple complex. The extant structures, in the Gujara-Pratihara style of architecture, consist of a pancharatha-style sanctum topped with an elegant shikhara in

Nagara architectural style, and also a vestibule. However, the mukhamandapa has been damaged. The lintel of the entrance of the sanctum has Nataraja as the lalatabimba (central protective image). The sanctum is deified with a Trimurti-Shiva (triple headed Shiva) or Mahesha-murti, which is defaced.[5][15]

Ashtamata temple

The

Maheshvari is carved on the lintel as the Lalatabimba. A carved Parvati image occupies the central niche in the sukanasa (portion of the pinnacle over the portico). These features of the temple support the conjecture that the temple is dedicated to the goddess Durga (Mahishamardini).[1][15]

Sheshashyan temple

The Sheshashyan temple is a stone temple which is damaged. It was built in the 10th century in the Parihara style of architecture. Its existing feature consists of a sanctum in rectangular plan with projecting vestibule. The sanctum was probably topped by a Valabhi (

wagon vault), now missing. The entrance to the sanctum does not have any decorations.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Ghateshwar Temple". Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Things To See and Do". Badoli (45 km SW). OutlookIndia. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  3. ^ a b c "Magnificent Shiva shrines at Baroli, Bijoliyan and Menal could have been a Meluha trilogy". The Economic Times. 27 March 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  4. ISBN 978-81-901436-9-1
    . Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-1-74104-690-8
    . Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  6. ^ L. K. Tripathi (1975). The Temples of Baroli. Amitābha Prakāśana. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  7. ^ "Natesa sandidol returns to India".
  8. ^ "A Panorama of Indian CultureHeritage Week 19th – 25th November 2012" (PDF). The Indian National Trust For Art And Cultural Heritage. p. 20. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  9. ISBN 978-90-04-10789-2
    .
  10. ISBN 978-1-61530-149-2
    . Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  11. ^ "Sringar Chauri". Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  12. ^ "Ganesh Temple". Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  13. ^ "Shiv Temple and Kund". Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  14. ^ "Vamanavtar Temple". Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  15. ^ a b "Trimurti Temple". Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  16. ^ "Sheshashyan Temple, Badoli". Archaeological Survey of India. Archived from the original on 31 July 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.

Bibliography

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