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Information about
Bhojpur |
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Founded by
the legendary Parmar King of Dhar, Raja Bhoj
(1010-1053), and named after him, Bhojpur, 28 km from
Bhopal, is renowned for the remains of its magnificent
Shiva temple and Cyclopean dam.
The temple which has earned the nomenclature of the
Somnath of the east, is known as the Bhojeshwar
Temple. The temple was never completed and the earthen
ramp used to raise it to dome-level still stands. Had
it been completed, it would have had very few rivals.
As it is, even with the ravages of time, it remains
one of the best examples of temple architecture of the
11th - 13th centuries.
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The lingam
in the sanctum rises to an awe-inspiring height of 7.5
feet with a circumference of 17.8 feet. Set upon a
massive platform 21.5 feet square, and composed of
three superimposed limestone blocks, the architectural
harmony of lingam and platform creates a superb
synthesis of solidity and lightness.
Richly
carved above, the doorway is plain below, throwing
into sharp relief the two exquisitely sculpted figures
that stand on either side. On the other three sides of
the structure are balconies, each supported by massive
brackets and four intricately carved pillars.
The lake
was destroyed by Hoshang Shah of Malwa (1405- 34), who
cut through the lesser dam, and thus either
intentionally or in a fit of destructive passion,
added an enormous area of the highest fertility to his
possessions. According to a Gond legend, it took an
army of them three months to cut through the dam and
the lake took three years to empty, while its bed was
not habitable for thirty years afterwards. The climate
of Malwa is said to have been considerably altered by
the removal of this vast sheet of water. |
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What to see |
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Bhojeshwar Temple
In
plan, a simple square with an exterior dimension of 66
feet, it is devoid of the re-entrant angles usual in
such buildings. The richly carved dome though incomplete
has a magnificent soaring strength of line and is
supported by four pillars. These like the dome have been
conceived on a massive scale, yet retain a remarkable
elegance because of their tapering form. Divided into
three sections, the lowest is an octagon with facets of
2.12 feet, from which springs a 24-faced section. |
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Jain Temple
Also, incomplete, and with a similar stone-raising
ramp, is a Jain shrine that stands close to the
Bhojeshwar temple. Three figures of the
tirthankaras are contained within; one of a
colossal statues of Mahavira 20 feet high, and the
other two of Parswanath. Rectangular in plan, this
temple probably belongs to the same period as the
Bhojeshwar.
Cyclopean Dam
West of Bhojpur once lay a vast lake, but nothing
remains except the ruins of the magnificent old
dams by which its waters were contained. The site
was chosen with great skill, as a natural wall of
hills enclosed the whole area except for two gaps,
100 yards and 500 yards in width respectively.
These were closed by gigantic earthen dams, faced
on both sides with enormous blocks of sandstone,
many being 4 feet long, 3 feet broad, and 2.5 feet
thick, set without mortar. The smaller dam is 44
feet high and 300 feet thick at the base, the
larger dam 24 feet high with a flat top 100 feet
broad. These embankments held up an expanse of
water of about 250 square miles. This great work
is ascribed to Raja Bhoj, but it may possibly be
of an earlier date. |
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How to Reach |
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By Air
Bhopal (28 km from Bhojpur ) is the nearest airport. It is
connected with Mumbai, Delhi, Jabalpur, Indore and Gwalior.
By Rail
Bhopal, on the Delhi-Chennai and Delhi-Mumbai mainline is the
most convenient rail-head.
By Road
Bhojpur is connected by bus with Bhopal. |
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Best
Season |
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July to March. |
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