The Bhojeshwar Mahadev Temple, Bhojpur

Description

The Bhojeshwar Mahadev Temple, located in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, is a thousand-year-old temple dedicated to Lord Shiva that overlooks the Betwa River. It has architectural grandeur, colossal lingam^[1], and historical significance. Built during the 11th century under the patronage of Raja Bhoj in Bhojpur, the temple represents the zenith of temple architecture during the Paramara period in India. It is a living temple where devotees gather throughout the year on several occasions to offer their prayers.

The Paramara dynasty ruled the Malwa region and the adjacent western and central parts of India during the 9th -14th century. Raja Bhoj was a celebrated ruler of the Paramara dynasty known for his architectural treatise of the Samaranganasutradhara.  

The Bhumija temples seem to have emerged in the 9th century and flourished until the 13th century. It is an evolved form of the Nagar temples specially built during the Paramara dynasty. The main body of the temple and its shikhara^[2] have components influenced by the Dravida style of temple architecture.

The shikhara has small sub-shrines or kuta-stambhas which are a miniature replica of the shikhara along with the corner bands called lata. The predominant Bhumija temples have five projections in the plan and five tiers of kuta-stambhas.

The temple's architecture follows the Bhumija style, characterized by its towering shikhara and ornate carvings and sculptures. The temple is square in plan with an exterior dimension of 20.1 m x 20.1 m and sits on a high plinth. The temple comprises a garbhagriha (sanctum) with an incomplete ceiling and a raised platform extending towards the west of the entrance to the garbhagriha. The entrance to the garbhagriha is through a huge doorway. The temple has four 12 m high columns inside the garbhagriha designed to support the shikhara. The raised extended platform was probably designed post-Bhoj’s rule for the mandapa (pillared hall), which lies incomplete. The most notable feature of the temple is its massive lingam, measuring approximately 2.3 meters in height and 5.4m in circumference that sits on a pedestal approx. 8m high. The lingam is carved out of a single stone. The three sides of the temple have no carvings but blind projecting balconies. The garbhagriha was initially designed to have a massive corbelled ceiling, which based on the layout and scale of the existing temple, would have been at least 100m high.

Another feature that makes the temple outstanding is the presence of line drawings of the temple and other structures that were intended to be constructed on the site. These are drawings of the temple layout, mandapa, pillars, lintels, doorways, capitals, column spacing, etc. carved on the rocks nearby. The drawings match the existing temple design, thereby revealing what was planned to be constructed. The unused carved stone masonry blocks and the earthen ramps made to lift the blocks can still be seen lying around the site. The ruins of a dam can be seen along the river Betwa which was built to create a vast artificial lake. These provide an insight into Raja Bhoj’s vision and the intensive process of temple construction.

Many books, research papers have been written on the Bhojeshwar Mahadev temple. Scientific excavations were conducted on-site by the Archaeological Survey of India to explore the site and its surroundings for further research in 1950. 

[1] The Hindu phallic image of Lord Shiva

[2] Spire or a rising tower

Justification of Outstanding Universal Value

Architectural Grandeur: The temple's monumental proportions, colossal lingam, and intricate carvings showcase the architectural brilliance and engineering marvels of the Paramara dynasty. The temple's colossal size and ambitious vision contribute to its exceptional value. The temple offers a glimpse of Raja Bhoj’s extensive empire and his exceptional vision of a sustainable model by integrating the architectural and technological advancements in and around the temple.

Historical Significance: The Bhojeshwar Mahadev Temple holds historical significance as a testament to the cultural and religious patronage of King Bhoj and the Paramara dynasty in the 11th century. It provides insights into the socio-cultural, spiritual, and architectural aspects of ancient India, enriching our understanding of the historical context and cultural traditions of the time.

Cultural Legacy: The temple's unfinished construction represents a significant cultural legacy. It reflects the aspirations, religious beliefs, and artistic endeavours of the Paramara dynasty. The construction of this temple paved a way for subsequent temple architecture developments in India which involved the complex interpretation and correlation of text, drawings and structures.

Criterion (i): The Bhojeshwar Mahadev Temple exemplifies exceptional architectural creativity and grandeur. Its massive size, colossal lingam, and intricately carved elements showcase the artistic and engineering prowess of the Paramara dynasty, representing a unique example of temple architecture in ancient India. The temple is a rare example of a site with architectural working drawings carved on the rocks which provide an insight to the intended design of the temple and provide clues for vision and processes involved in constructing the monument. The temple follows the rules of temple architecture based on the book Samaranganasutradhara written by Raja Bhoj on vastu vidya or architectural theory.

Criterion (iii): The temple serves as a remarkable testimony to the cultural and religious practices during the reign of King Bhoj and the Paramara dynasty. It reflects the architectural achievements and artistic patronage of that era, providing insights into the cultural traditions and historical context of ancient India.

Criterion (iv): The Bhojeshwar Mahadev temple represents an outstanding example of Bhumija-style temple architecture, characterized by its curvilinear towers and intricate carvings. Its colossal size and unfinished construction reflect the ambitious vision of King Bhoj, making it an exceptional architectural ensemble from the medieval period. The huge blocks of carved masonry can still be seen scattered around the temple complex which was designed for the temple. The sheer scale of the temple speaks of the architectural advancements of the 11th century. If finished, this would have been the world's biggest Hindu temple.

Statements of authenticity and/or integrity

The temple stands as a testimony to the architectural advancement of the Paramara dynasty in the 11th century. The architectural style and design of the temple are consistent with the architectural practices of the Paramara dynasty. The use of large stone blocks, elaborate doorways and corbelled ceilings, and structural features align with the characteristics of temples built under Paramara rule. The Bhumija style of construction is no longer in practice. Being one of the surviving Bhumija temples, the Bhojeshwar Mahadev temple is a significant cultural resource.

The temple is the only site with a detailed guide in the form of extensive working drawings carved on rocks, to the construction of the temple and its mouldings and architectural elements such as pilasters, doorway, brackets supporting lintels, etc.  These unique drawings, carved stone masonry blocks and the earthen ramps made to lift the blocks have been retained well by the authorities. Once open to the sky, the garbhagriha was recently covered by ASI, Bhopal circle with a fibre-glass ceiling which is a reversible intervention. This is the only addition to the structure.

The traditional use of the temple for worship and ritual contributes to authenticity. Every year, thousands of devotees gather at the temple to celebrate Maha Shivratri, which is a festival commemorating the auspicious wedding of Shiva and Parvati.

The temple stands in harmony with the remains of the temple masonry parts, line drawings on rocks, etc. The overall historic site is an amalgamation of the temple complex and its valley setting that includes the ruins of Raja Bhoj’s dam built to create a man-made lake, Betwa river and Kaliasot river that shows the preserved integrity of the site. Apart from these, there are temple remains of Ashapuri nearby which together with the Bhojpur and other 70 (approx.) sites in and around Bhojpur where fragments of Paramara construction have been found, form a bigger ensemble.

Comparison with other similar properties

The Bhojeshwar Mahadev temple resembles the Brihadisvara temple in Thanjavur, in terms of scale and grandeur. The Brihadisvara temple complex demonstrates a progressive development of high Chola architecture and art in the 11th century. Built during the same time period, the Bhojeshwar Mahadev temple too represents the meticulous architectural practices of the Paramara dynasty.

If finished, the shikhara of the temple would have surpassed the height of the Brihadisvara temple at Thanjavur. If completed, the shikhara of Bhojeshwar Mahadev temple would have been at least 100m high which is almost 1.6 times higher than the vimana of Brihadisvara temple which soars to a height of 59.82 meters over the ground. Similar to the Brihadisvara temple, Bhojeshwar Mahadev temple has a massive entrance and an incomplete extended platform built for the mandapa. Like the Brihadisvara temple, the Bhojeshwar Mahadev temple too is a living temple.

The Bhojeshwar Mahadev temple was the milestone in the journey to creating monumental temples that followed later, such as Bijamandal, Vidisha and Udayeshwara temple, Udayapur. The Udayeshwara temple is a Bhumija temple that was constructed by King Udayaditya in the early 11th century. The temple has a garbhagriha, mandapa and ardhamandapa^[1] (3 nos). The temple shikhara is an exquisite structure that is richly carved in sandstone. The shikhara is notable for its multiple levels of kutastambhas. The ceiling is richly adorned with sculptures all along the circumference, which is an element similar to the ceiling in Bhojeshwar Mahadev temple but more elaborate. The temple is significant in being one of the early Bhumija temples constructed during the Paramara reign. It portrays the evolution of the form and intricacy of the Bhumija temples.

Within a 12 km radius of the Bhojeshwar Mahadev temple, there is a group of temple remains known as the Ashapuri Group of temples, built between the 9th and 11th centuries. These temples are from the  Paramara and Pratihara time periods, and the site is an important cultural centre with continuous activity in temple construction from at least the 9th to the 12th centuries. These temples were built parallel to the Bhojeshwar Mahadev temple and offer an insight into the extent and architecture of the Bhumija temples.

[1] Semi-open entrance hall