Lalguan Mahadeva Temple
The construction of the Lalguan Mahadeva temple can be dated to approximately 900 CE. It is the second oldest surviving temple at Khajuraho, after the Chausath Yogini temple. Both the temples are made of granite. The temple seems to have been constructed in a period when sandstone (used in other temples of Khajuraho) was being introduced, but the use of granite had not completely stopped.
The Lalguan temple was built on the bank of a lake, now called Lalguan Sagar. Compared to the later temples of Khajuraho, it is small in size and plain in design. Its plan and design are similar to that of the nearby Brahma temple. It has a pyramid-shaped roof. The only carving on the doorway is a diamond motif.
The temple is now in ruins: the curvilinear tower of its sanctum has fallen, and the entrance porch had disappeared. The building has been classified as a Monument of National Importance by the Archaeological Survey of India. As part of the Khajuraho Group of Monuments, the temple was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986.
References
- ^ Rana P. B. Singh 2009, p. 58.
- ^ Ali Javid & Tabassum Javeed 2008, p. 200.
- ^ ASI Bhopal Lalguan 2016.
- ^ Ali Javid & Tabassum Javeed 2008, p. 201.
- ^ ASI MP List 2016.
- ^ "Khajuraho Group of Monuments". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
Bibliography
- Ali Javid; Tabassum Javeed (2008). World Heritage Monuments and Related Edifices in India. Algora. ISBN 978-0-87586-482-2.
- "Lalguan Mahadeva Temple". Archaeological Survey of India, Bhopal Circle. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
- "Alphabetical List of Monuments - Madhya Pradesh". Archaeological Survey of India, Bhopal Circle. Archived from the original on 2 November 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
- Rana P. B. Singh (2009). Cosmic Order and Cultural Astronomy. Cambridge Scholars. ISBN 9781443816076.