Sticker of GurjarSamraat MihirBhojs Coin

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www.indiaprofile.com/monuments-temples/kiradutemples.htm




Kiradu Temples built by Nagar Gurjars




Kiradu Temples
A Great example of Nagara Style of Temple Architecture.

The Kiradu group of temples is situated near the village Hathma about 43 km away from the Barmer region in Rajasthan. The inscriptions dating back to 1161 AD reveal that the ancient name of this place was Kiratakupa and was once the capital of the Punwars. The temples were built around c. 1000 AD and later. The temples represent the zenith of the Gurjara-Pratihara sub-style of the Nagara or North Indian Style of Temple Architecture.
The Vishnu temple of this group has the sanctum and the mandapa of which only the cubicle and the pillars of the central octagon have remained. The temple stands over an elaborately built plinth.

The pancharatha or five-faceted walls of the sanctum are built over the plinth. Only a few mini-spires are left of the multi-turreted spire or sikhara. The central pillar is left of the large open mandapa. The base of the beam is octagonal in shape and features a figure of apsara or heavenly maiden. They are similar in style to the figure from Baroli in southwest of Kota.
The temple of Somesvara is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The sanctum of this temple is also five-faceted. The plinth has moldings and jadyakumbha or inverted cymarecta. The figurative bands or the tharas featuring elephants, horses and human beings are notable. The jangha or the middle portion of the wall is the rupadhara or figurative band, which is placed below the niche. The niche is of bigger size on the bhadra or the cardinal facet to place a bigger image. The multi-turreted spire is no more. The half annulets below the vases have dainty foliage patterns. The toranas or decorated arches span over the spaces between the pillars are no more. The decoration on the exterior of the mandapa is equally elegant and varied. The notable are the scenes of combat and palace life, kaudakapalik rites and scenes from the Ramayana and from everyday life.
There are other three smaller Shiva temples. Architecturally they are not so beautiful but some sculptural depictions of ritual eroticism, temple building, Bhishma Pitamah lying on a couch of arrows and scenes from daily life, such as a group of acrobats are worth noticing.
The Kiradu group of temple has remained mostly unknown and underestimated because of its location. A visit to Kiradu is a must for keen students of temple architecture.

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Naggar Village
Naggar Village is located in the District of Kullu in the state of Himachal Pradesh in India. It lies on the left bank of the river Beas and about 300 meters above the river. The village is beautifully surrounded by the magnificent mountains, waterfalls and snow covered ranges. The village is known for the impressive cultural heritage and rich architectural style. Naggar was once the capital of the Kingdom of Kullu.
Temples in Naggar Village :
Tourists can make a visit to the beautiful Gauri Shankar mandir. The temple was built in the 11th and 12th century and according to the historical evidences it is the last great monuments of the Gurjara – Pratihara traditions. Apart from the Gauri Shankar mandir there are other famous temples in the area namely Vishnu, Chatar Bhuj temple, Tripura Sundri Devi, Tripura Sundari and Lord Krishna. Rich in wood and stone carvings these temples are constructed in the Shikhara and Pagoda style.

www.ecoindia.com/villages/naggar.html

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www.indiabuzzing.com/2009/02/14/india-from-700-ad-to-1100-ad/

Link of Kalhans Rajtarangini on Internet


India-From 700 A.D to 1100 A.D


During the eighth and ninth centuries, the North-West region of the India was ruled by the Turki Sahi dynasty. Some parts of the Punjab such as Salt Range region lying between the Indus and Jhelum formed a part of the kingdom of Kashmira. The rulers of Kashmira were busy fighting against the kingdoms of Indo-Gangetic plains for the supremacy of Northern India. In the hilly regions of the Punjab many small kingdoms emerged which continued to exist for centuries, S0me of them were the kingdoms of Jammu, Kangra, Chamba, Kulu, Garhwal and Kumaon. The territories of Sindh and Multan were conquered and captured by the Arab Muslim invaders.
About the end of the ninth century, Gandhara region was ruled by a Kashtrya ruler Lagaturman. He was overthrown by his Brahman minister and a scholar named Lalliya (who is called Kallar by Albruni). He established a new dynasty which is called Hindu Shahi or Sahi dynasty. Then came in succession Samand (Samanta), Kama1u, Bhim (Bhima), Jayapala, Anandapala, Tarolchanpala and Bhimapala. The successors of Lalliya occupied the valley of Kabul and Peshawar.
After Lalliya, his son Samanta came to the Sahi throne who had to face internal troubles. Kalhan, the author of “Rajatarangini” tells that a son of Lalliya named Toramana advanced his claim on the Sahi throne and sought the support of king of Kashmira in getting it. Parbhakaradeva, the minister of Kashmira led an army against Samanta and inflicted a crushing defeat on him. Samanta has been described as the “Sahi of Udhbhandapura”. It seems that the Sahis had transferred their capital to Udhbhandapura after they lost Kabul to Saffrid Yaqub Laith in 871 A.D.
That Samanta was king of importance is shown by the discovery of his coins in Afghanistan and the Punjab. Kalhana, in ‘Rajatarangini’ tells that after defeating Samanta, the Kashmira Prime Minister gave the Sahi kingdom to Toramana who was probably the same as Albruni names Kamalu. This revolution brought a change in the balance of power on the frontier of the Punjab. The Sahis and Kashmira kingdoms now joined hands against the Gurjara-Pratiharas of Kanauj.
The next Sahi ruler Bhima was maternal grandfather of queen Didda of Kashmir. Bhima greatly expanded his power and claimed paramountcy over the whole of North-West India and assumed the title of Maharaja-adhiraja Parmesvara. The Gurjara-Pratiharas were alarmed at the aforesaid developments. They declared war against the Sahis and sent an expedition against Udhbhandapura to revive their lost influence. The Gurjara-Pratiharas ruler Mahipal (912-44 A.D.) marched at the head of a large army and reduced the Sahis to subjection. One Thakkana ascended the Sahi throne as an ally of the Gurjara-Pratiharas. The king of Kashmira made another attempt to establish his supremacy in the Sahi affairs. The Kashmira king Abhimanu, under the guardianship of Queen Didda, sent an expedition under his commander-in-chief Yashodra against the Sahi’s kingdom. The Sahi ruler Thakkana was defeated and captured and had to pay tribute to the Kashmira rule. But the success of Kashmira proved to be short lived. Soon Jayapala, son of Istapala, came to the Sahi throne as an ally of the Gurjara-Pratiharas. Jayapala consolidated his position. He had sway from Laghman (Jallalabad) to Sirhind and from Kashmira to Multan. In the meantime, the Gurjara-Pratiharas had brought under their influence Kashmira and Khasa country. By the end of the 10th century Vayhind (Udhbhandapura) and Kashmira were the dependents of the ruler of Kanauj.

Kalhana's Rajatarangini: A Chronicle of the Kings of Kasmir
By Kalhaṇa

books.google.co.in/books?id=4rcwLQDFh-EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=rajatarangini&source=bl&ots=q2uGQiM7NZ&sig=Y-MFhm8uGL6pSw7gQDxcLCnVU2w&hl=en&ei=xt_GS-GSH5GgkQWX8bmpCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CBsQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

www.flipkart.com/book/kalhana-rajatarangini-stein-chronicle-kings/8183390439

www.vedicbooks.net/kalhanas-rajatarangini-3-vols-p-4638.html

www.afghanhindu.com/kashmir.asp

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Bhima Devi Temple
• In the vicinity of Pinjore Gardens, there is an ancient temple known as ‘Bhima Devi Temple’.
• A chance discovery of art objects in a field near Bhima Devi Temple in 1974 led the Archaeology Department declare it as protected under the ‘Punjab Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites & remains Act-1964.
• Five ancient plinths and a large number of beautiful sculptures and architectural members of Gurjar Pratihara School of Art of 8th to 12th century AD. Have come to light.
• It is felt that it was a “Panchayatan” Group of Temples.
• The architectural and technique of construction can be compared with the contemporary temples of Khujraho and Bhubaneshwar.
• The remains of temples also includes rock edicts where one can find the mention of Raja Ramdev.
• Nasir-u-din Mahmood, son of emperor Iltutmish, demolished the temple in 1254 AD.
• The town of Pinjore faced invasions by Taimoor in 1399 A.D.
• In 1666 Fidai Khan, the then Governor of Sirhind demolished this temple and it is believed that PinjoreGarden was partly constructed out of debris of temple.
• Believed to be built between
9th and 11th century A.D. in Gurjar Pratihara Rule
• The presence of 3 pedestals indicate that the temple belongs to the Panchayatan group of temples.
• In this temple has shrines - with the main shrine in the centre surrounded by 4 other built separately.
• The images of Lord Shiva, Agni, Ganesha, Shiva-Parvati, lead us to believe that this temple may have been dedicated to Lord Shiva.
• The Style and treatment of these Sculptures is very close to those of the khajuraho temples in Madhya Pradesh.
• Most images have been carved out of locally available gray and green sandstone.
• The Sculptures and art motives discovered from Bhima Devi can be classified into four Categories :-
• • Images of Hindu Gods & Goddesses
• • Apsaras, attendants, Gandharvas and celestial musicians
• • Animal motifs
• • Mithun Motifs reflecting the opulence and socially acceptable eroticism of the Contemporary times.
haryanatourism.gov.in/bhimadevi.asp

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Bhima Devi Temple

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Bhima Devi Temple

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Bhima Devi Temple

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The picture of statue of God Varaah made in Gurjar Pratihara Rule kept in A.S.I Museum in Tamil Nadu

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The contribution of Gurjar Pratihara Dynasty in the field of Art and Architecture is uncomparable with any other dynasty of India .They made temples all around the contry. Bateshwar temples in the Chambal valley is also one example of art during Gurjar Pratihara Dynasty

Pls See this link which describes the work of Gurjar Pratihara Dynasty in the field of art.

www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2702/stories/20100129270212200.htm

FROM the inclined paved pathway that led up to the archaeological site at Bateshwar in the Chambal valley, it was hard to guess what it really held. As one reached the top of the incline, breath stopped, literally. The vista was beyond one’s imagination: a hundred-odd shrines with majestic vimanas (towers) rising into the sky and massive mounds of rubble – pillars with exquisite sculptures, panels of miniature friezes, carved architectural members, roof slabs and serrated amalakas that would have capped theshikaras. Further away on a raised platform stood a temple in ruins, whose shikara consisted of slabs arranged somehow
Welcome to the 1,300-year-old temple complex at Bateshwar in Morena district in Madhya Pradesh. The shrines are located on the western slope of a range of hills near Padavali, a village about 40 km from Gwalior. Stylistically, the temples belong to the period between post-Gupta and early Pratihara (between the eighth and 10th centuries A.D.). The Pratihara rulers were patrons of art, architecture and learning, and encouraged building activity.
“If there are two sites in India that can rival Bateshwar in its grandeur, they are Aihole in Karnataka and Jageshwar in Uttarakand,” said Muhammed. Aihole and Jageshwar have about 120 temples each. But Bateshwar has about 200 shrines in a comprehensive parcel of a site that is spread over 25 acres (10 hectares). While most of them are dedicated to Siva, a few are Vishnu temples. (Local lore has it that the name Bateshwar originates from Bhooteswar, another name for Siva.) The temples and the sculptures are made of sandstone.
Apart from the formidable challenge of restoration, the ASI team had a big problem on its hands: how to dislodge the dreaded dacoits of the Chambal valley, who had made the temple complex their hideout and used it as “a distribution point” of their spoils and a place for entertainment in the evenings. Although Bateshwar was notified as a protected site in 1920, restoration work could not be taken up before 2005 because the ASI was unable to take possession of the site.
The Frontline team visited the temple complex along with some ASI officials on the late afternoon on October 24, 2009. Its caretaker, Jaswant Singh, was a genial man. He was an excellent host as well. He chatted with us and served tea, biscuits and sweets. However, around 5-15 p.m. when we were admiring a sandstone frieze of Devaki and Krishna in a Vishnu temple, Jaswant Singh walked in, looking grim. He had a musket slung across his shoulder. “Please leave this place now,” he virtually commanded us. “It is getting to be dark. I don’t want trouble either for you or myself. Eyes may be watching.” His warning gave us an idea of the situation that would have obtained five years ago when dacoits thrived in the area.
In 2004, when Muhammed took over as the Superintending Archaeologist, ASI, Bhopal Circle, he wanted to see the condition of the sites in his division. In and around Bhopal, most of the monuments had received attention. In far-off areas, only a few conservation and restoration efforts had been undertaken. “My priority was always to go to remote areas that required the most challenging work; areas that were full of problems,” he said. S.K. Rathore, Assistant Archaeologist, K.M. Saxena, Senior Conservation Assistant, K.K. Sharma, Conservation Assistant, and O.P.S.S. Narawariya and Hukum Chand Arya, both supervisers, told him about the ruins of Bateshwar.
Muhammed did not wait to see them. When he visited the complex, he found it in complete ruins. “No two stones were found lying together. At some point of time, a powerful earthquake must have jolted the area. Besides, there was human neglect.” He was sure the complex was not destroyed by the invaders. He attributes the devastation to an earthquake. “But even this devastation had a music of its own. It was this music that enchanted us. So we decided that we should straightaway start the restoration and conservation work,” he added.


Dealing with a dacoit
But the rub was that the dacoits controlled the complex. It was during a reconnaissance trip to the ruins that Muhammed saw a bearded man smoking a cigarette inside a temple. This angered the Superintending Archaeologist, who confronted the bearded man: “How dare you smoke inside a holy place?” At that moment, an ASI assistant caught Muhammed by his arm and signalled him to stop addressing the man in such a manner. The bearded man was none other than Nirbhay Singh Gujjar, the feared dacoit known to have committed 239 offences. (He was killed in an encounter in Etawah on November 7, 2005.) Soon parleys got under way between Muhammed and Nirbhay Singh Gujjar.
The ASI official tried to convince the dacoit about the bona fides of the institution’s attempt to restore the Bateshwar temple complex, which had deities the dacoits worshipped and assured him that they were neither from the police nor were their informers. Gujjar saw reason and assured the ASI that he would not disturb its restoration efforts.


A panoramic view of the ruined temples, gateways, stepped tanks and architectural members of Bateshwar.

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Bateshwar Mandir .
A Siva linga and a bas-relief of Siva holding the hand of Parvati in the sanctum sanctorum of a restored shrine. Most of the temples in the complex were dedicated to Siva.

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