Famous Temples in India

Architecture

Temple is built in the typical Hemadpanti style of architecture (style incorporating black stone and lime without using any mortar using the technique of mortise and tenon joint). The temple is a mix of old architecture, one assumes possibly original, plus later modifications and renovations. The temple’s Shikhara (dome) has literally hundreds of small sculptures of deities carved in consecutive layers. Although now badly weathered, you can still make out these figures on both the main temple and other peripheral buildings. The main temple has two deepmalas on either side and an unexpectedly large and colourfully painted Nandi in the middle of the temple hall. Further within the temple, just outside the sanctum sanctorum sits Lord Ganesh and other guardian deities carved in the niches of the sustantial walls. The garbhagriha is a somewhat dark roomed cellar, with a lone diya over the Shivling. Goddess Parvathi and Lord Ganesha in the background with a picture of Saint Sopandev painted on the sidewall. The sanctum room is far from silent, a chant is playing in a repetitive loop with accompanying sounds of small bells chiming. A smaller partially damaged but life size Nandi carved out of black stone lies immediately in front of the temple.