Maladevi Temple is a Jain temple located in Gyaraspur town of Vidisha in state of Madhya Pradesh, India.

Maladevi temple
Maladevi Temple
Maladevi Temple
Religion
AffiliationJainism
DeityAdinatha
FestivalsMahavir Jayanti
Location
LocationGyaraspur, Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh
Geographic coordinates23°39′32.1″N 78°06′49.1″E / 23.658917°N 78.113639°E / 23.658917; 78.113639
Architecture
StyleMāru-Gurjara
CreatorPratihara dynasty
Kalachuris of Tripuri
Date established850-900 CE
Temple(s)1

History

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Maladevi Temple dates back to the 850-900 CE.worship site.[1] epigraphist Richard G. Salomon suggests that temple was originally built as Jaina-Brahmanical hybrid.[2] An Kalachuri inscription dating back to 850-885 CE, records the foundation of the temple during the reign of Valleka is preserved in British Museum. [3][4]

Temple

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Maladevi Temple is the largest and finest temple of Gyaraspur. It is famous for carvings and craftmanship, that are representative of post-Gupta architecture.[5] It is a rock-cut temple built in Gurjara Pratihara style. The temple was a constructed around a sanctified natural cavern as the garbhagriha.[6] The temple is rich with carvings of tirthankaras, yakshi, and yaksha. The temple consists of an entrance porch, mandapa garbhagriha and lofty shikhara bearing rich carvings.[1] The temple houses a number of Jain idols, yet the figures of Goddesses on the outer door-frame and the name of the temple indicates that it was originally a Brahmical temple.[7] The temple is dedicated to Adinatha.[8][9]

The temple is considered one of the best examples of collections of varied Jain sculptures.[10] The temple houses a carved idol of Shantinatha in lotus position with a symbol of deer and four armed yaksha and yakshi.[11] There is image of Goddess Chakreshvari carved on the lalata-bimba.[6] An idol of Parshvanatha dated 9th century is also enshrined inside the temple.[12] The presence of images of 24 yaksha and yakshi inside the temple indicates the worship of each yaksha and yakshi during the 9th century.[13]

The temple records various pilgrim sites such as Sobhasapranamati, Baswanapranamati, and Ambadevapranamati. It also houses an eigh-handed idol of Goddess with Tarapati engraved on leaves of lotus throne.[14]

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Restoration

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In 1930, Gwalior state stepped up to conserve Maladevi temple.[15] Maladevi temple in Vidisha is protected by Archaeological Survey of India.[16]

See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b ASI & Maladevi Temple.
  2. ^ Salomon 1996, p. 156.
  3. ^ Kooij 2018, p. 189.
  4. ^ Salomon 1996, p. 155.
  5. ^ Cohen & Cohen 2008, p. 1480.
  6. ^ a b Saxena 2022.
  7. ^ Ayyar 1987, p. 16.
  8. ^ Mitra 2010, p. 76.
  9. ^ Mitra 2012, p. 23.
  10. ^ Ghurye 2005, p. 39.
  11. ^ Shah 1987, p. 154.
  12. ^ Shah 1987, p. 175.
  13. ^ Shah 1987, p. 217.
  14. ^ Cunningham 1880, p. 34.
  15. ^ Kumar 2010.
  16. ^ ASI & Vidisha.

Sources

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Books

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