Ashapuri temple complex, the 1000-year-old glory of Bhopal
The construction of this site continued for well over 200 years, under the royal patronage of the Pratiharas and Parmaras in central India between the 9th and 11th centuries.
NewsBharati 07-Apr-2022 16:36:10 PM
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What we will explore today, are the ruins of the once glorious temple complex found in MP, which, if not destroyed, would have been a finesse of a structure to view. The village of Ashapuri lies 32 km south of Bhopal, and 6 km from the famous, unfinished Shiva temple of Bhojpur, credited to the 11th century Paramara King Bhoja. The temple complex is in the vicinity of Ashapuri, and is now under the protection of the Directorate of Archaeology, Archives and Museums (DAAM), Government of Madhya Pradesh. It is the witness of the flourishing time periods of Pratihara and Paramara, having continuous activity in temple construction from the 9th to 11th centuries.
As time passed, the ruling dynasties here changed and the funds for construction also got scarce. This was followed by natural calamities and invasions. Gradually, the glory of the temples declined. One temple after the other fell to the ground, making the site ruinous, hidden under the earth, lost to nature for centuries.
Unfortunately, many fragments from different temples here are jumbled together, which makes the task of working out the original designs all the more challenging. The Ashapuri Temple Project, is actually a collaboration between the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University, and the School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal.
The only one erect structure is of the Bhootnath Temple / Temple 5. Bhootnath Temple is the largest temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and was built in the new Bhumija style of architecture. Paramars who built this temple developed the Bhumija style and looking at the fragments, the temple was similar to Udayeshwar temple of Vidisha. The mandap with erect pillars was built of red sandstone.
A proper arrangement of these rich sculptures and the architectural pieces here, and models, along with some kind of explanatory material, will make this a unique spot for understanding how temples in India were designed and constructed almost 1000 years ago.
When Bhoja began construction of his gigantic royal temple at Bhojpur, Ashapuri is believed to have been the major urban settlement nearby. Previously on the edge of the alluvial plain of the Betwa, when Bhoja dammed the river at Bhojpur with enormous stone blocks, Ashapuri was the lakeside town.
Ashapuri is an extraordinary site, with 26 temples in ruins, all standing close to each other, above a line of steps leading down to a large pond. The temples lie in the slopes of a rocky hillock, once surrounded by thick forest and with flowing waters.
The construction of this site continued for well over 200 years, under the royal patronage of the Pratiharas and Parmaras in central India between the 9th and 11th centuries. Here on the temple plinths, one could only picture a time when this site must have been thriving with people, worshipping the gods and learning how to construct these temples.
As time passed, the ruling dynasties here changed and the funds for construction also got scarce. This was followed by natural calamities and invasions. Gradually, the glory of the temples declined. One temple after the other fell to the ground, making the site ruinous, hidden under the earth, lost to nature for centuries.
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In 2010, the Department of Archaeology and Museums (DAAM), Madhya Pradesh, began a vigorous program of excavation. In the enthusiasm for discovering one plinth after another, the scattered architectural fragments were stacked on the rock nearby.
Unfortunately, many fragments from different temples here are jumbled together, which makes the task of working out the original designs all the more challenging. The Ashapuri Temple Project, is actually a collaboration between the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University, and the School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal.
As you enter the complex, it is obvious that only the foundation of temples survives. Everything else lies broken on the ground. Some sanctums of the temple are seen in the surviving platforms or pithas. It looks like some temples had flat roofs while some were built in Nagara style with shikhars. Some temples have shivlings while some temples have their foundations dug with the stones neatly marked.
The only one erect structure is of the Bhootnath Temple / Temple 5. Bhootnath Temple is the largest temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and was built in the new Bhumija style of architecture. Paramars who built this temple developed the Bhumija style and looking at the fragments, the temple was similar to Udayeshwar temple of Vidisha. The mandap with erect pillars was built of red sandstone.
There are temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and Ashapuri Devi. There is also a pond on the banks of these temples, called the called Bhuteshwar Dam. It is dedicated to Shankar which is also called Bhuteshwar temple. The ruined temple of Goddess Ashapuri is still seen here, decorated with carved microscopic sculptures and depicted garland. The Islamic looters beheaded the sculpture here. One can also view the ruins of the depicted deities of Sapthamatrikas. Many of the sculptures found in these ruins were found beheaded, or with their parts cut off, which is a sight immensely disturbing and insulting.
A proper arrangement of these rich sculptures and the architectural pieces here, and models, along with some kind of explanatory material, will make this a unique spot for understanding how temples in India were designed and constructed almost 1000 years ago.
Kinjal Dixit
Kinjal Dixit has a degree in bachelors in English and is currently pursuing her Master's in Journalism and Mass Communication. She has a hand at writing about infrastructure, culture and in sharing humanitarian stories.