Deogarh sweeter Archaeological Survey of India, Lucknow Circle Dasavatara Temple, Deogarh Deogarh (Lat, 24° 32'N and cultural intermingling. During. order from Gupta period as an inscription of Log. 78° 15) is located on the right _ ancient times, Deogarh had imperial Nahar Ghati suggests. During 9" century A.D, bank of river Betwa in District communication with Pawaya in the Deogarh was under the reign of Gurjar- Lalitpur of Utar Pradesh. It is 33. north and with Eran, Bhilsa, Pratiharas. Km. from Lalitpur, 235 Km. from Udaigiri and Sanchi in the south, Gwalior and 125 Km. from Jansi. with Ujjainand Baghin the westand ‘The nearest railway station from south-west and again through » Deogarh is Jakhlon, at a distance of | Jhansi, Prayag, Varanasi and 12 km. A’ well-maintained Jaina Pataliputra in the east. It was a Dharamshala and a Guest House of renowned art-centre in north India Littar Pradesh Tourism Department for its Hindu and Jaina temples and isavailableforthe visitorsoverhere. sculptures interlinked with Forming a part of neighbouring temple-sites like Bundelkhand region, it served as a Dudhai, Chandpur, etc. during early military and trade corridor between medieval period. North India and the Deccan and thus ‘The history of Deogarl can was associated with extensive be traced back in a chronological Taina Temple An inscription dated 862. A.D. engraved in of Bhojdeva. According to another —panchayatana type and is a perfect Santinath Temple is important in this regard. inscription of Vatsaraja, datable to example of developed Gupta temple ‘According to the inscription, this place was 1097 A.D,, Deogarh was under the style. It is adorned with richly ruled by Vishnudeva who was onceasamanta patronage of Chandella rulers decorated entrance and three during the 11th century A.D. After beautifully carved panels on all aa Chandellas, Deogarh was governed three sicle walls. Presently, the by the Mughals, Marathas and ._sikharaof the temple is damaged and Britishers, respectively the idol of the main deity is missing from ‘ts square garbha-griha. The DASAVATARA TEMPLE ‘moulded platform of temple isrichly Oneof the ultimatecdificesof embellished with sculptured panels Gupta art known as\ Dasavatara' representing scenes from the life of tompleisbuiltinred sardstoneona” Rama and Krishna and high jagati, almost square shaped _ miscellaneous decorative themes of which can be approached by alight scrolls, amorous couples and ginas ‘of seven steps from all sides. The ete, Atal fourcorners ofthe temple, see veh temple facing west is ofa” there wore small shrines evidences . \ Site plan of Dasavatara Temple, Deogarh, Distt. Lalitpur (U.P) of which can be still seen. There is a rock-cut os water tank (hao) at the western side of the Dasavatara temple. ‘The panchasakha doorway of the main shrine is highly ormamented with scroll design, rosettes, amorous pairs, ornate pilasters and garland of srivriksha design. At the lower portion of the door-frame are depicted standing figures of Vaisnava doorkcepers flanked by female figures. At each of the outer ends of the frame stands a pot-bellied dwarf (keechaka) upholding with both hands a square pot in typical Gupta design. At the top, makaravahini Ganga on proper right and ‘kurmacahini Yamuna on left, each canopied by an umbrella, are shown gracefully, The doorlintel bears a seated figure of Seshasayi Vishnu.as lalata-bimba. ‘The most beautiful parts of this temple are its richly carved panels celestial couples have also been depicted in the panel. ‘Another panelcalled Nara-Narayana on east side wall, depicts the great Indra seated on Airavata and Karttikeya on peacock, Below the Anantasayi, the panel shows six human figures, five males and one female standinginarow. on its walls, Depiction of penance of Nara and Narayana s the main seated under trees on rocks in a subjectof these panels. The Gajendra- hermitage in which deer and lions moksha panel on the north side are shown. Third panel on southern depicts the scene of an elephant side deserves special mention which standing in a lotus pond firmly depicts Anantasayi Vishnu sleeping ound by the wild tails of a naga onthe seven-hooded cosmic serpent couple. Lord Vishnu appears seated Sesha forming a canopy over him. on Garuda, The maga pair is Lakshmi, sitting atthe feetof Vishnu imploring forgiveness with hands is probably shampooing his right joined in adoration, while the leg. In the upper, Brahma is seated elephant is offering flowers held in on a full blown lotus. Flanking him his uplifted trunk. Besides, flying to the right side are the figures of mythological scenes VARAHA TEMPLE Varaha temple, located in the south-west comer of the Deogarh Fort is now in ruined condition. The temple is datable to . 7 Varaha Temple a sandhara type temple comprising a Hanuman temples are located near sarbha-grita enclosed by pradskstina the Siva temple. In one case, the tha, artarala, mahamandapa and central figureishuman-faced. ardhamandapa on plan. The mahamandapa and ardhamandapa | VALLEYS (GHATIES) seem to be later additions during In addition to temples and 12th-13th century A.D. sculptures, Deogarh is very popular for its two rock-cut valleys (Ghaties) (OTHER TEMPLES known as Nahar Ghati and Raj-Ghati Besides Dasavatara temple, there These are located on the southern are temples of Siva, Hanuman and _ sidealong the river Betwa, Durga located in Deogath village. Nahar Ghati contains’ Sapta- Though the super-structure of these matrika panel and a Sanskrit temples is modern yet the central inscription. written in Gupta figures are of historic value. In one _ character of Brahmi script. There are such temple, a Chaturmukha Sioa- two later inscriptions one of them linga is placed. -In addition, two datable to~1732 A.D. giving. hint AD. respectively. Besides, another inscription. dated 1097 A.D,, was engraved by Vatsaraja, a minister of Chandella king Kirtivarman, Another ghati known as Siditha-ki-Gufa Fe Tr ‘Sculptures displayed in Sculpture-shed century A.D. It stands on a high jagati and preserves only a pillar of entrance porch and door-frame of temple. The dedicatory idol of nri-varaha is now shifted in the sculpture-shed at Deogarh. JAINA TEMPLES ‘As, a sacred pilgrimage of Jainas, Deogarh received a great patronage under the Prathihara, Chandella and Kalchuri_rulers. There is a group of about 32 Jaina temples, big or small, located on approximately 300m high hillock along the fort-wallin the southern part of the Deogarh area. All these Nara-Narayana temples are dedicated to all 24 firthankaras. These temples are of Nagara style and belong to different periods ranging, from circa 81h 9th century AD. to 17th century A.D. Amongst them, temple no.12 known as Santinath Temple deserves special mention and is remarkable for its richly carved doorway and a gigantic figure of Santinath (5.40m) in Kayotsarga posture placed inside the garbhagriha. Inscriptions noticed on the temple walls and_ pillars datable from 862 A.D. to 1638 A.D, suggest that this temple was constructed in various stages. Thisis about Bundela ruler of Chander Raj Ghati, contains a rock-cut cave. On the left flank of its entrance, the cave is having two inscriptions datable to 1064 A.D. and 1492 near the Raj Ghati contains many inscriptions from 1285 A.D. to 1751 AD. There is an. inscription of Gupta period (552 A.D.) which speaks about Suryavansi Swami Bhat, SCULPTURESHED The Archaeological Survey of India has constructed a sculpture: shed near the Dasavatara temple wherein large number of sculptures and architectural members from the Dasavatara temple, Deogarh, Brahmanical & Jaina temples at Dudhai and Chandpur are displayed. These sculptures date from 6th century A.D. to 11th12th centuryA.D. Dos + Helpin keeping monumen'sclean + Help in maintaining the natural nvironmentaround the monuments + Help in creating cultural awareness amongthe masses. + Help in mainianing the sanctity ofthe snonuments Don's *Don'tpint, draw or whitewash any wall, «te. inandaround the monuments + Donit spoil any monument ‘Dont pluck flower, ee rom monument garden + Don't hamper or spoil he originality of any atefacVantquity of an unprotected arcal monument