Shiva Temple supposed to have been built in the 5th Century A.D. during the Gupta Period discovered

Amateur archaeologist discovered the remains of a Shiva temple supposed to have been built in the 5th Century A.D. during the Gupta period in dense forests 35 km away from Bundi district town in Rajasthan. The temple has a Shivalingam with the face of Lord Shiva engraved on it. The temple is believed to belong to the era when the concept of installing statues of deities in temples was introduced.

Description

The five-foot long and two-foot thick Shivalingam is reportedly the third of its kind from the Gupta era found in India so far. Similar statues were earlier discovered at Udaigiri in Vidisha and Bhumra in Satna district of neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.

The Shivalingam is built of white sandstone, has embellishments like earrings and ornaments with Lord Shiva's face. The sanctum where it was installed is encircled with hundreds of undamaged and broken bricks. In the local parlance, this statue is called Mukhling. There are traces of a covered processional path in the temple for circumambulation, which formed part of the worship ritual. A methodical study of the Bhimtal temple could provide important clues to various dimensions of early Hindu architecture in ancient India.

The temple, found near Bhimtal village include the remnants of a square sanctum and pillared porch. Built with bricks, the temple makes a significant addition to the handful of sites in the country where the remains of places of worship from the Gupta era have been unearthed.

Significance of the Discovery

The latest discovery had confirmed the presence of the thriving ancient empire in Hadoti region of Rajasthan during the 5th Century, when magnificent temple architecture was gradually evolving. the presence of dilapidated Shiva templess amid thick vegetation in surrounding areas such as Jalindri, Nathun, Deojhar, Banganga, Umarthuna and Kheruna indicated that the Shaivite religion held sway over much of the Hadoti region for several centuries.

The discovery also demonstrated that Hadoti did not merely have a pre-historic human habitation, but was also rich in archaeological wealth which could throw a new light on the evolution of Hinduism with the dissemination of Vedic civilisation by Aryans.

Gupta empire

The Gupta empire, that existed approximately between 320 and 550 A.D. was described by historians as the golden age of ancient India. The Gupta dynasty covered much of the Indian subcontinent and was marked by scientific and cultural creativity, including the outstanding architecture and sculptures, and crystallisation of the elements of Hindu culture.

Gupta Architecture:The gradual evolution of the Gupta style architecture led to the construction of shikhara (dome) in the temples and ornamentation on the pillars and door-frame. Decorative motifs like goblins, couples, flying angels, door-keepers and a figure relief in the centre of the lintel emblematic of the deity consecrated in the temple were introduced.