Dharmrajeshwar
Encyclopedia
Dharmrajeshwar is an ancient Buddhist and Hindu
cave
temple site of 4th-5th Century in Mandsaur
district in Madhya Pradesh
, India
. It is an example of Indian rock-cut architecture, situated in Garoth
tahsil of Mandsaur
district at a distance of 4 km from Chandwasa town and 106 km from Mandsaur
city. Nearest railway station is Shamgarh
about 22 km. Its original name is Dhamnār (धमनार).
ic temple of Dharmarajeshwara, carving it out of solid natural rock. The temple is carved out of a rock of size 50 metre in length, 20 metre in width and 9 metre deep. It has a sanctum with a Sabhamandapa and porch. The spire of the shrine is in the north Indian style. The architecture of Dharmarajesvara temple can be compared with Kailash Temple of Ellora. There is a big temple in the middle 14.53 metre in length and 10 metre in width. Around the main temple there are seven small temples. There is a big Shivalinga in the main temple along with a statue of Vishnu
. Engraved on the entrance gate are figures of Vishnu
and Lakshami. There are statues of Bhairava
, Kali
, Shiva
, Garuda
and Parvati
. The temple seems to be devoted to both Shiva
and Vishnu
.
A grand fair is organized at Dharmrajeshwar temple on the occasion of Shivaratri every year when large number of people gather from the nearby areas.
The town Chandwasa itself also contains an old medieval temple which was later on destroyed and converted into a patchwork mosque, its door-frame finding place in the Museum at Indore
.
There is a series of fourteen the 7th century rock-cut Buddhist Caves with monasteries and Stupas, cut in a hill called Chandanagiri in ancient times and giving its name to the neighbouring town of Chandwasa (Chandanavasa).
These caves were first noticed by James Tod
who gave a number of caves to be 170 and indicated them to be belonging to Jain culture. He identified five statues as those of tirthankaras: Rishabhadeva, Neminath, Parshavanath, Shantinath and Mahavira. The local people cosider these statues to be of the five Pandavas.
Later these were visited by Alexander Cunningham
, Ferguson and Henry Kajins who disagreed with Tod. Dr Ferguson counted number of caves to be 60-70. Alexander Cunningham
was also in agreement with Dr Ferguson. Ferguson considers the period of construction of caves from 408-475 AD.
The important caves at Dhamnar are as under:
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
temple site of 4th-5th Century in Mandsaur
Mandsaur
Mandsaur or Mandsour is a city in the Malwa region and district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mandsaur District.-Origin of name:...
district in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is an example of Indian rock-cut architecture, situated in Garoth
Garoth
Garoth is a town and a nagar panchayat in Mandsaur district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India.-Demographics: India census, Garoth had a population of 14,568. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Garoth has an average literacy rate of 63%, higher than the national average of...
tahsil of Mandsaur
Mandsaur
Mandsaur or Mandsour is a city in the Malwa region and district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mandsaur District.-Origin of name:...
district at a distance of 4 km from Chandwasa town and 106 km from Mandsaur
Mandsaur
Mandsaur or Mandsour is a city in the Malwa region and district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mandsaur District.-Origin of name:...
city. Nearest railway station is Shamgarh
Shamgarh
Shamgarh is a town and a nagar panchayat in Mandsaur district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is an important railway station on Delhi-Mumbai Railway track where Almost every train stops.-Geography:...
about 22 km. Its original name is Dhamnār (धमनार).
Dharmarajeshwara temple
It has the 9th century monolithMonolith
A monolith is a geological feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock, or a single piece of rock placed as, or within, a monument...
ic temple of Dharmarajeshwara, carving it out of solid natural rock. The temple is carved out of a rock of size 50 metre in length, 20 metre in width and 9 metre deep. It has a sanctum with a Sabhamandapa and porch. The spire of the shrine is in the north Indian style. The architecture of Dharmarajesvara temple can be compared with Kailash Temple of Ellora. There is a big temple in the middle 14.53 metre in length and 10 metre in width. Around the main temple there are seven small temples. There is a big Shivalinga in the main temple along with a statue of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
. Engraved on the entrance gate are figures of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
and Lakshami. There are statues of Bhairava
Bhairava
Bhairava , sometimes known as Bhairo or Bhairon or Bhairadya or Bheruji , Kaala Bhairavar or Vairavar , is the fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva associated with annihilation...
, Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
, Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
, Garuda
Garuda
The Garuda is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology.From an Indian perspective, Garuda is the Hindu name for the constellation Aquila and...
and Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
. The temple seems to be devoted to both Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
and Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
.
A grand fair is organized at Dharmrajeshwar temple on the occasion of Shivaratri every year when large number of people gather from the nearby areas.
The town Chandwasa itself also contains an old medieval temple which was later on destroyed and converted into a patchwork mosque, its door-frame finding place in the Museum at Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
.
Rock-cut caves Dhamnar
The most important and interesting monuments at Dhamnar are the Rock cut caves and temples. They are cut into the coarse laterite rock of the southern hill.There is a series of fourteen the 7th century rock-cut Buddhist Caves with monasteries and Stupas, cut in a hill called Chandanagiri in ancient times and giving its name to the neighbouring town of Chandwasa (Chandanavasa).
These caves were first noticed by James Tod
James Tod
Lieutenant-Colonel James Tod was an English officer of the British East India Company and an Oriental scholar.Tod was born in London and educated in Scotland, later joining the East India Company as a military officer. He travelled to India in 1799 as a cadet in the Bengal Army where he rose...
who gave a number of caves to be 170 and indicated them to be belonging to Jain culture. He identified five statues as those of tirthankaras: Rishabhadeva, Neminath, Parshavanath, Shantinath and Mahavira. The local people cosider these statues to be of the five Pandavas.
Later these were visited by Alexander Cunningham
Alexander Cunningham
Sir Alexander Cunningham KCIE CSI was a British archaeologist and army engineer, known as the father of the Archaeological Survey of India...
, Ferguson and Henry Kajins who disagreed with Tod. Dr Ferguson counted number of caves to be 60-70. Alexander Cunningham
Alexander Cunningham
Sir Alexander Cunningham KCIE CSI was a British archaeologist and army engineer, known as the father of the Archaeological Survey of India...
was also in agreement with Dr Ferguson. Ferguson considers the period of construction of caves from 408-475 AD.
The important caves at Dhamnar are as under:
- Badi kachahari - Cave number 6 is known by the name of Badi kachahari. There is a grand mandapa on four pillars in the cave. chatya is in the back. Badi kachahari is a large chaitya hall with pillared portion in front enclosed by a stone railing.
- Chhoti kachahari - Cave number 8 is known by the name of Chhoti kachahari.
- Kamini mahal or Rajlok - Cave number 11 is known by the name of Kamini mahal or Rajlok.
- Bhim Bazar - Cave number 1 is known by the name of Bhim Bazar. it is the largest of Dhanmar caves. It consists of an open porch or vrandah with a copule of rooms in the rear.the rectangular court has a chaitya in the centre enclosed on three sides by rows of small cells each side having a smaller chapel in the central cell. The sculptures include seated Buddhas.
- Hathi bandhi - Cave number 12 is known by the name of Hathi bandhi.
- Chhota Bazar - Cave number 13 is known by the name of Chhota Bazar. This is considered best of all the caves. In a big hall in north of this cave is a small devalaya in which is housed an 8 feet high statue of BuddhaBuddhaIn Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
.