Bhojpur (Madhya Pradesh)
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 India
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| State : | Madhya Pradesh | ||
| District : | Raise | ||
| Sub-district : | Goharganj | ||
| Location : | 23 ° 3 ' N , 77 ° 35' E | ||
| Height : | 450 m | ||
| Residents : | 1,158 (2011) | ||
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Bhojpur is a small village with about 1100 inhabitants (2011 census) in the center of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh . It was once a not insignificant temple site on a rocky hill above a medieval reservoir.
location
Bhojpur is located on the upper reaches of the Betwa River, almost 30 km (driving distance) southeast of the city of Bhopal at an altitude of about 450 m above sea level. d. The rock paintings of Bhimbetka , recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site , are located on a mountain of the Vindhya Mountains about 25 km to the south . A reservoir once stretched at the foot of the temple, which ensured a year-round water supply for the site. Quarries with decoratively hewn boulders can still be seen in the wider vicinity of the temple.
Population and economy
The majority of the inhabitants of the place are farmers or day laborers; the male population is around 10% higher than the female population. Agriculture plays the dominant role in economic life.
history
The name of the place refers to King Bhoja , a ruler of the regionally important Parmara dynasty who ruled over the historical region of Malwa in the first half of the 11th century , to whom the name of the city of Bhopal is also traced back. Legend has it that King Bhoja swore to build several dams and reservoirs to regulate the water in the rivers; Remnants of it are still preserved. After the conquest of the area by the Sultanate of Delhi in the 13th century, both the site and the temple site sank into oblivion. At what time and whether the dam was destroyed by natural forces or by human hands can no longer be determined.
Bhojeshvara temple
The most important relic from the time of King Bhoja is the block-like and unfinished Bhojeshvara temple, which is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva . The temple differs from most earlier or simultaneous temple buildings in Madhya-Pradesh (e.g. in Khajuraho or Gyaraspur ) and Rajasthan (e.g. in Ossian ) by its completely unusual square floor plan of about 15 m side length and by that complete lack of figurative or decorative architectural jewelry; in addition, no approach of a Shikhara tower can be seen. The reddish stones on the outer walls are mostly smoothly carved - no further cladding or structuring was probably planned. However, some researchers are of the opinion that the structure that exists today can only be seen as the cella ( garbhagriha ) of a much larger temple structure. The multi-tiered pillars on both sides of the huge portal vestments are decorated in the lower area with the two goddesses Ganga and Yamuna and other male and female guardian figures with elegant hips; above it are small bells hanging on long chains. The cella ends at the top in the middle with an unfinished cantilever dome construction resting on richly decorated pillars .
In the middle of the cella and almost filling it rises an approximately 5.5 m high Shiva lingam with an equally wide yoni bowl, which was carved out of a single boulder and is the largest in all of India. During the ablution ceremonies that take place several times a day, the polished stone can only be 'climbed' by the Brahmins with the help of ladders.
On the rocky terrain in front of the temple, there are two small pavilion shrines with domed roofs, which were built later and contain Nandi bulls.
Parvati shrine
Below a rocky cliff about 1 km from the temple is the so-called Parvati shrine, which is dedicated to Shiva's wife and is mainly visited by women with various concerns who express their veneration here in a personal or communal puja ceremony. Here, too, there are a number of older stone relics that could indicate that the site was already visited and venerated in medieval times.
Jain temple
Another unfinished Jain temple is located near today's village. It is dedicated to the 16th Tirthankara Shantinata , whose approximately 5.5 m high statue is accompanied by two smaller Tirthankara figures ( Parshvanata and Suparashvanata ) and by even smaller servants. On both sides of the main character there are staircases with final platforms, from where the statues can be doused with colored water, (coconut) milk, etc. as part of solemn ceremonies. Some figures and fragments of decor are exhibited on a wall outside.
Stupas
On a hill in the village of Murelkhurd (near Pipalia ) about 5 km to the west there are several Buddhist stupas from the 2nd century BC. Chr.
literature
- KK Chakravarty: Bhojpur Temple, a vision of harmony. Bhopal 1991
Web links
- Bhojpur, temple - video
- Bhojpur, Stupas - Photos + Info ( ASI , English)
- Bhojpur stupas and others - photos