|
. |
|
|
PILGRIMAGE OF MADHYA PRADESH
|
Khajuraho:
The most famous architectural style of Khajuraho temples is
one of his own kind. The temples are built from east to west
and have three main compartments- the entrance (ardha mandapa),
assembly hall (mandapa) and an inner sanctum (garbhagriha).
The temples are divided into three geographical groups: Western,
eastern and southern. The western group is the most famous
and the most typical of the Khajuraho temples. Kandariya Mahadeo
is the main temple here. The shrine has an exquisitely carved
entrance arch with a multitude of themes celestial beings,
lovers, serenading museums- movements captured in stone and
frozen in time, yet retaining the warmth of pulsating life.
The stone seems to have taken on the sensuousness of the carved
figures. The oldest surviving shrine is the Chaunsat Yogini.
One of the three granite temples, this one is dedicated to
Godess Kali but the image has not survived. The Chitragupta
Temple is dedicated to Sun God. A seven-horsed chariot drives
the imposing five feet idol. The Vishwanath temple has an
impressive three-headed image of Lord Brahma. The exteriors
are profusely carved and facing the shrine is a Nandi temple
with a massive 6 ft high Nandi Bull. There are few Vaishnavite
temples like those of Lakshmana and Varaha temples. Eastern
group consists of Jain and Hindu temples mainly. The sculptures
on the northern outer wall makes Parsavanath temple finest
in the group. The carvings are timeless, of a women bending
thoughtfully over a letter, a damsel removing a thorn from
her foot. The other Jain temples are Ghantai, Adinath temple.
This group also has three Hindu temple- Brahma, Vamana and
Javari temples. Southern group of temples are five kms from
the Khajoraho village. Chaturbhuj temple has a massive, intricately
carved image of Vishnu. Duladeo temple is dedicated to Lord
Shiva.
|
Deogarh:
13 km from Jakhlaun railway station on the Jhansi-babina Passenger
train route, is situated the fort of the God, Deogarh. It
is on the right bank of the Betwa River at the western end
of the Lalitpur range of hills. The fort is entered though
a corbelled gateway in the outer wall. A path has been cleared
through the undergrowth and broken statuary lies scattered
about. Within the fort is a remarkable group of 31 Jain Temples.
The site was a Jain center from the 8th to the 17th centuries.
Within the temples are panels depicting scenes from Jain mythology,
tirthankara images, Manasthamba or votive pillars, Ayagpattas
or votive tablets, Sarvatobhadra Pratima's or Jain images
visible from all sides and Sahasrakuta's or pillars carved
with a thousand Jin figures. Most important among the group
are temples No.11 and 12, the Santinath temple. Among other
important structures at deogarh are the Varah temple, the
rock cut cave-Siddha-ki-Gufa, Rajghati and the Naharghati.
The jewel of Deogarh, however is in a field by a well close
to the banks of the Betwa. This is the Dashavatar Temple dedicated
to Lord Vishnu. It belongs to the Gupta period and is dated
to about the 6th century AD. It is the earliest known Panchayatan
temple of north India. It bears an inscription attributable
to Govinda, Viceroy of Malwa and brother of the great Kumaragupta
I. A row of superbly sculpted panels adorns the terraced basement
which rises above the high plinth of the temple. A doorway
with intricately carved figures of Ganga and Yamuna leads
to the garbhagriha or sanctum sanctorum. The temple is particularly
well known for its Rathika panels in recesses along its three
sidewalls. These fine stone reliefs depict scenes from Vaishnava
mythology, and are identified as the Gajendra Moksh panel,
Nar-Narayan Tapasya and the Anantasayi Vishnu. Only the lower
portion remains of the shikhar, once the most important part
of the temple. The gupta age, because of its superb sculptures,
is "in the annals of classical India almost what the Periclean
age is in the history of Greece". The beauty of the images
at Deogarh carved out of granite and red or gray sandstone
bear testimony to this. The nearest Airport is at Gwalior,
which is 235 km to Deogarh. The nearest railway station is
Jakhlaun is about 13 km and another station is Lalitpur, which
is 23 km away for Deogarh. It is connected with bus services
to all important centers in the region. Some of the major
road distances are: Jhansi 123 km, Katia 147km, Lalitpur-
23km, Matatila- 93km.
|
Omkareshwar:
|
|
Omkareshwar is one of the Jyotirlingam at
the Siva temple of Shri Omkar Mandhata, among the twelve jyotirlingam
in India. It is situated at the confluence of the Narmada
and Kaveri rivers. Though this island has foliage of Hindu
and Jain temples, another extravagant sight is the Siddhnath
temple, which is a marvel of early medieval architecture.
The island temple presents a very picturesque sight and are
well worth visiting. Accommodation can be sought in many Dharamshalas
and Holkar Guest House. There are local buses for Omkareshwar
from Indore, Ujjain, Khandwa. OmkareshwarRoad, on Ratlam-Indore-
Khandwa line, is the nearest railway station. Omkareshwar
itself is 12 km from here by road.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|