Kakanmath Mandir

• Temple is incomplete but had shown great architecture.
• Located in the Sihoniya village (Formerly known as Sinhpaani) of Morena district.
• Temple is of Lord Shiva which was built by King Kirtiraj.

 

• The Temple named after Queen Kaknavati (Devotee of Lord shiva and wife of King Kirtiraj).
• Height of the temple is around 100 feet
• Two Mandapas are there – Mukh Mandap and Gur Mandap
• Idols of Lord Ganesh, Kartikeya and Parvati are also there.

 

Ujjain

 

• Ashoka was governor of Ujjain before becoming the king of Magadha
• Kshipra river crosses the Ujjain.
• One of seven Mahatirth and also one of 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.
• Also known as town of Mahakaleshwar
• To much glorified at the time of Gupta dynasty (Vaishnavites) and Saka dynasty (Shaivites)
• 2 Shakti Peeth are there Gadhkalika and Harsiddhi.
• Ujjain is also mentioned in Skand Puran
• According to Skand Puran –84 Mahadev, 64 Yogini 8 Bhairwa and 6 Vinayaka are there in Ujjain
• One of the Kumbha City (4 cities of Kumbh are there Ujjain ,Haridwar, Prayagraj and Nasik)
• At the time of Kumbh Sun goes into Aries and Jupiter in the Leo
• At the time of Samudra Manthan one drop of Amrit was dropped in this City
• Jupiter completes its revolution around the sun in 12 years that’s why we celebrate Mahakumbh after 12 years.

 

Mahakaleshwar Temple

• Mahakaleshwar of Ujjayan is known among the twelve celebrated Jyotirlingas in India.

         

 

History

• When did the Mahakala temple first come into existence, is difficult to However, the event may be assigned to the Prehistoric period. Puranas narrate that it was first established by Prajapita Brahma.
• There is reference to the appointment of prince Kumarasena by king Chanda Pradyota in 6th c. BCE for looking after the law and order situations of Mahakala temple.
• The punch-marked coins of Ujjain, belonging to 4th-3rd c. BC, bear the figure of Lord Siva on them.
• Mahakala temple is also mentioned in several ancient Indian poetic According to these texts, the temple had been very magnificent and magnanimous.
• Its foundation and platform were built of stones. The temple rested on the wooden There had been no sikharas in the temples prior to the Gupta period. The roofs of temples had mostly been flat. Possibly due to this fact, Kalidasa in Raghuvansam describes this temple as ‘Niketana’.
• After the downfall of the Gupta empire, several dynasties including the Maitrakas, Chalukyas, Later Guptas, Kalachuris, Pusyabhutis, Gurjara Pratiharas, Rastrakutas etc. dominated the political scenario in Ujjain one after the other. However, all bowed down before Mahakala and distributed endowments and alms to the deserving. During this period a number of temples of various gods and goddesses,Tirthas, Kundas, Vapis and gardens took shape in Avantika.
• Among many of the poetic texts composed during this period, which sung the significance and glamour of the temple, Harsacharit and Kadambari of Banabhatta, Naisadhacharit of Sri Harsa, and Navasahasamkacharit of Padmagupta are noteworthy.
• In the Eighth decade of Eleventh AD, one Gazanavide commander invaded Malwa, looted it brutally and destroyed many temples and images. A contemporary Mahakala Inscription testifies the fact that during the later Eleventh c. and early twelfth c. The Mahakala temple was rebuilt during the reign of Udayaditya and Naravarman. It was built in the Bhumija style of architecture, very favourite to the Paramaras.

 

Architecture

• The temple is three-storeyed. In the lowest middle and uppermost parts are respectively installed the lingams of Mahakalesvara, Omkaresvara and Nagachandresvara.
• The temple of Mahakaleshwar is a planned mixture of the Bhumija, Chalukya and Maratha styles of The sikhara with the mini-syngas is very peculiar. In previous years its upper part has been covered with a gold plate.
• The temples of this style had been either Triratha or Pancharatha in plan. The main feature of identification of such temples had been its star-shaped plan and the sikhara.
• So far as the sikhara is concerned, urusrngas (mini-spires), generally of odd numbers, gradually decreasing in size in rows between the well-decorated spines (haravali or lata) rose up at the cardinal points from the Chityaas and the Sukanasas ultimately surmounted by the Amalaka. Every part of the temple was glutted with decorative motifs or images.
• A very large-sized Kunda named Koti Tirtha also exists in the temple-complex. The Kunda is built in the sarvatobhadra style. The Kunda and its water both are treated as very celestial.

• In the east of the Kunda is a large-sized Veranda in which there is the entrance to the path leading to the garbhagriha. In the northern side of the verandah, in a cell, the images of Sri Rama and goddess Avantika are worshipped.
• In the southern side of the main shrine, there stand many small Saivite temples built during the Shinde regime; among these the temples of Vriddha Mahakaleshwar, Anadi Kalpesvara and Saptarshi are prominent and are remarkable pieces of architecture.
• The lingam of Mahakaleshwar is The silver plated Naga Jaladhari and the inscribed and esoteric silver-plate covering the roof of the garbhagriha add extra grandeur to the shrine. Besides Jyotirlinga, attractive and small-sized images of Ganesa, Kartikeya and Paravati can be seen in the garbhagriha. All around the walls classical eulogies in the praise of Lord Siva are exhibited.
• The glory of Mahakaleshwar Temple has been vividly described in various Puranas Starting with Kalidas, many Sanskrit poets have tradition of Mahakala in the minds of the people is eternal.
• Ujjain used to be the centre-point for the calculation of Indian time and Mahakalawas considered as the distinctive presiding deity of Ujjain.
• This Temple has been timeously renovated through successive historical epochs-Shung, Kushna, Satavahana, Gupta, Parihar, Paramara nad comparatively modern period of Marathas.
• Reconstruction of the present temple structure was done at the intance of Ramchandra Baba Shenvi, a Subedar of Malwa under Ranoji Scindia. Renovation and carving better facilities in the temple have regularly been looked after in the contemporary period also.
• The idol of Mahakaleshwar is known to be dakshina-murti or south faced. The unique distinction of dakshina-murti worship, upnel in the tantric tradition is realised only in Mahakaleshwar among the twelve Jyotirling of India.
• Like the Mahakala Shrine installed in the upper sanctum of Omkareshwar Temple, the idolof Omkareshwar Shiva is consecrated in the upper sanctum of this temple.
• Nagachandreshwar image on this storey is opened for darshan on Nagpanchmi day only. Mahakala worship by Vikramaditya and Bhoja is well-known both the temple has continued to receive Royal grants for its puja-expenses even in the Mougal
• Presently this temple is under the management of Mahakala Mandir Samiti

 

Kadwaha Temples

• Located in Ashok Nagar, 40 km from Chanderi in North-west.
• It is said that this area was donated by Kachhapgatha rulers to the Matamayura clan of Shiva-cult.
• As per belief, Kachhapagatha (come from Kusa, the son of lord Ram (Suryavanshi)).
• Pillars of temples are of low height and decorated with ghatpallava topped with a plain bracket.
• Sculptures on the wall portion of the temple shown in double registers.
• Navgrahas are shown invariably, on the door lintel.
• Temples at Kadwaha appeared to have been constructed in three phases.
• One Hindu Mathh and fifteen temples are The Mathh is of two floors.
• All the temples were built up in 10th century.
• Many idols of temples had been distorted.
• Architecture of temples is very beautiful and different.
• Old name of village- Kadam Guha (Today Kadwaha)
• Temple is dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh.

• Another Temples located in Kadwaha village

 

Chandla Temple

• The Temple locally known as Chandla is located at the western most part of the village.
• It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and directly elevated from Jadyakumbha.
• Exterior of Jangha is adorned with sculptures of Surya, Ganesh and Chamunda on three sides.
• Sukanasika is shown with a figure of Lord Shiva.

 

Ekla Temple

• Ekla Temple represents the second phase of development of temple architecture at Kadawaha.
• The Temple is surrounded by compound wall, having tri-rath plan, facing east, stands upon a low and plain jagati which is approachable through a flight of three steps on the eastern side.

• The temple is dedicated to lord The temple consists of a square garbagriha.
• Southern side wall of temple depicting Mother with Child (probably Krishna- birth) .
• Garuda and figures of Brahma and Shiva have been depicted in the terminal points.

 

Shiva Temple at Garhi Area

• This temple is located in a deep dried up tank or dug out area from the surface ground level surrounded by a rectangular stone wall.
• Its front view is hampered due to a mosque probably constructed byy Robber Ala-ud-din Khilji.
• Sikhara of temple is Garbagriha possess a linga which is planted in a high yoni- pitha.

 

Bateshwar Temples

• Located near Chambal River in Morena district.
• Most of the Shrines are dedicated to Lord Shiva and some of them to Lord Vishnu.
• Some Shakti Devi Temples are also there.
• According to ASI, around 200 temples are here out of which 80 temples had been restored.
• The temples of here are 300 years older than Khajuraho Temples.
• Temples are being made up of Balua (Sand) stones.
• Built by Gurjar-Pratihar dynasty temples are located in Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh.
• The Pratihara considered themselves as Suryavanshi.
• The Temples are buit in bowl shaped valley surrounded by hills.

 

   

• In 1782 Alexander Cunningham travelled here in these temples.
• Local dacoits (gangs) once controlled the area surrounding the temples, preventing tourists and archeologists from visiting the site.
• Historian Rahman Ali also mention about these temples in his book on Pratihar dynasty.
• The carvings on these temples are intricate even for their age.
• Some are quite erotic, evoking similarities with the more well-known Khajuraho temples. They stand as a half-finished masterpiece: dozens of smalltemples are surrounded by ruins of their yet-to-be-reconstructed siblings.
• In the excavation of this temple one idol of Shri Hanuman have been founded inwhich under the feet of Hanuman Rati and Kamdev are there.
• In 2005 ASI under the direction of KK Mohammed started excavation of these temples.
• Biggest groupings of Temples located at one place in India.
• Many of temples are without Shikharas.
• Nearby River- Chambal

 

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