|
Sun
Temple
Located near the Residency at Morar, the
newly constructed Sun Temple takes its inspiration
from the famous Konark sun Temple
in Orissa.
Surwaya
21 kilometers. Noteworthy at this place are
the remains of a fort, three Hindu temples,
a monastery and a step-well.
Ram Raja Temple
This palace -turned-temple has a charming
legend attached to it. Following the dream-o-visitation
of Ram, the pious Madhukar Shah brought a
statue of the God from Ayodhya to his
capital. The image was placed in a palace
prior to its installation in a temple. When
the idol proved impossible to move, the king
recalled, too late, the deity's edict
that the image would remain in the place
where it was first installed. Today, with
its soaring spires and palatial
architecture, the temple is surely one of
the most unusual in India. It is also
the only in the country where Ram
is worshipped as a king (Raja)
Chaturbhuj Temple
Built upon a massive stone platform and
reached by a steep flight of steps, the
temple was specially constructed to enshrine
the image of Ram that remained in the
Ram Raja Temple, Lotus emblems and
other symbols of religious significance
provide the delicate exterior ornamentation.
Within, the sanctum is chastely plain with
high, vaulted walls emphasizing its deep
sanctity.
Laxminaryanan
Temple
A flagstone path links this temple
with the Ram Raja Temple. The style is and
interesting synthesis of fort and temple
moulds. The interiors contain the most
exquisite of Orchha's wall paintings,
Covering the walls and ceiling of three
halls, these murals are vibrant compositions
and cover a variety of spiritual and secular
subjects. They are in an excellent state of
preservation, with the colors retaining
their vivid quality.
Rajim
The most important cultural and religious
centre in the whole of Chhattisgarh is Rajim,
49 km from Raipur on the banks of the
Mahanadi. There is a beautiful temple here
for Vishnu, known as Rajivalochana,
'the beautiful-eyed one'. It is the most
important of the temples here. By studying
this temple one can understand the
architecture of Mahakosala, a region
bordering Orissa, where the Sarabhapura
sovereigns ruled as feudatories of the Guptas
and Vakatakas in the 6th-7th
centuries. A Nala inscription here of about
700 AD makes this mention. The temples of
Rajim are both historically and
architecturally important.
|
