ASHAPURI NEAR BHOPAL

Ashapuri is a village in Obaidallaganj Mandal of Raisen District located at a distance of about 35kms from Bhopal. The place is well known for its old Jain temples. One can find the remnants of a thousand three hundred year old temple with statues scattered on the ground. Scientists of the Archaeological Department have found out the remains of 1300 year old ancient temples at Ashapuri village near Bhopal.

The debris of the temple seems to be massive in which the Bhoothnath temple was the biggest. The archaeologists have named this excavation project as 'Bhootnath Temple' series. "We have found ruins of temples dating back to 1300 years, even before the Parmar Dynasty. Before the Parmar dynasty there were Pratihar dynasty rulers in this area. After them the Parmar dynasty came. Pratihar dynasty rulers constructed temples with steeple shaped structure. These temples were large and beautiful," said Ashok Das, Commissioner, Madhya Pradesh Archaeological Survey of India.

"The 21 temples you can see here were made during the Pratihar rule. The largest temple whose cleanliness is yet to be done might have been made by the Parmar dynasty," he added. The excavators have found over 400 remains of idols of Hindu gods and goddesses made during the regime of the Pratihar and the Parmar dynasty rulers. The State government has taken the responsibility to preserve these relics of Indian history.

"It is the responsibility of the Archaeology Department to find things of historical importance and preserve them. That is why the State government is doing this work," said Laxmikant Sharma, Minister of Culture of Madhya Pradesh.

Near Ashapuri village there is one big dam also. According to the archaeologists, the temples and dam both were built by the Parmar and Pratihar dynasties and certain locals contended that the Mughal rulers razed down these temples.

BHOJESHWAR TEMPLE BHOJPUR

Bhojpur is a town of historical and religious importance in Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh, India. 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.

Bhojpur is famous for the incomplete Bhojeshwar temple, which is dedicated to Shiva. The temple houses the largest Shiva lingam in India, which is 5.5 m (18 ft) tall and 2.3 m (7.5 ft) in circumference and is crafted out a single rock.

BHIMBETKA CAVES (BHIMBETKA ROCK SHELTERS), BHOPAL

The Bhimbetka Caves are situated just 46 km from Bhopal. This is archaeological World Heritage site located in Raisen District in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and they are surrounded by the northern limits of Vindhya mountain Range. As the legend goes, these hills got their name after Bhima, one of the five Pandava brothers. The name 'Bhim-bet-ka' means 'where Bhim sat down'. The name Bhimbetka is associated with Bhima, a hero-deity renowned for his immense strength, from the epic Mahabharata. The word Bhimbetka is said to derive from Bhimbaithka, meaning "sitting place of Bhima".  

There are more than 600 caves that have the collection of oldest prehistoric paintings in India. These caves were found by Dr. V.S Wakankar, the famous Indian archaeologists in the year 1958. It took around 16 years to excavate the entire area covered by these caves. Although there are more than 600 caves, only 12 are open for tourists at the moment, but they show you the best paintings that are there in all other caves. And out of the 24 world heritage sites that have been recognized by UNESCO in India, Bhimbetka caves are the oldest one.

There are many interesting facts about these caves. These caves had been used as a shelter by people from the earliest of periods. Thus, you will find paintings of all periods starting from Paleolithic era to medieval era. The paintings turn out to be a mirror showing evolution of humanity through time. The style of the paintings of separate periods is so different that you can easily differentiate between them. The paintings of Paleolithic age are huge linear figures of animals like tigers, bears and rhinoceroses. As the time passed, the paintings became smaller, shapely and more precise. The paintings now depicted the daily chores of people like hunting and dancing. Slowly the artistry from raw art turned into religious images showing the change in the mindset. The oldest painting here is said to be around 12,000 years old, whereas the most recent is around 1000 years old. The colors used by the cave dwellers, were prepared by combining manganese, hematite, soft red stone and wooden coal. The paintings over the years have stayed unharmed by nature due to the reaction between the chemicals present in rocks and the color. Even animal fat and plant leaves were used in the mixture.

These caves have now become one of the most popular attractions in Bhopal. You can plan a day’s excursion to experience the relics on the walls of the caves, admire the solitude and spend a day in wonderment exploring the fascinating history of the ancient times.

BHOJPUR, BHOPAL, MADHYA PRADESH

Bhojpur is a town of historical and religious importance in Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh, India. The Bhojpur Shiva Temple, or Bhojeshwar Temple, also known as Somanath of the East is an unfinished temple located at Bhojpur Village near Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The Bhojeshwar Temple located near the Betwa River was founded by the legendary Parmar King of Dhar Raja Bhoj (1010-1055). A massive Shiva lingam rising to a height of 22 feet and made of a single block of polished stone is the main attraction in this ornate temple. The linga is one of the tallest in India. 

 

The temple which has earned the nomenclature of the Somnath of the east, 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.