Thread by @the_conqueror56

Telika Mandir

Telika Mandir is located within the Gwalior Fort in Madhya Pradesh, built by Emperor Mihira Bhoja of Pratīhār Empire,
Dedicated to Bhagavān Shiva , Vishnu and Matrikas, this temple is masterpiece of Pratīhāra Style

#RajputSamratMihirbhojPratihar

this temple badly damaged by Qutb-ud-din Aibak and his successor Iltutmish in 1232 CE the temple was restored by the Hindus after the desecration by Iltutmish forces telika temple has icons and inscriptions related to all three major traditions Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism

temple is based on a Pratihara-Gopagiri style North Indian architecture. the temple is a classic example of a design based on "musical harmonics" in architecture, one that Hermann Goetz called as a masterpiece of late Gupta era Indian art.

The temple sanctum plan seems rectangular rather than the typical square, one that makes it the oldest surviving Hindu temple with a rectangular plan in Central India. According to Michael Meister and Hermann Goetz, the temple was broadly assumed in the colonial era to have been

a Vishnu temple that was later converted into Shiva temple, the temple may have actually started as a temple dedicated to the Matrikas (mother goddesses), but one that included the motifs of Vaishnanism and Shaivism.

Telika temple has a rectangular triratha sanctum plan that sits on a jagati platform that is a square of 60 feet (18 m). It has a large kapili projecting portico of about 11 feet (3.4 m) towards the east. the tower rises about the rectangular sanctum to a height of 80 feet (24m)

It likely had amalaka, kalasha and other ornaments on top, but these are all lost to history. The walls of temple has numerous niches for statues, but it is all empty now and show signs of damage the niches are topped by tall pediments,

The outer dimensions of the sanctum are 60x40 feet with an 80 feet tower above. the doorway into the temple is 35 feet (11 m) high, and it is ornate. Above the doorway is a relief of Garuda, the vahana of Vishnu. Inside, there is another doorway above which is a Ganesha relief

The temple is approached through a flight of stairs leading to a banded doorway containing sculptures of river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna with their waists leaning towards the center, each with a boy and a girl on the lower part.

Above them are amorous couples in various stages of courtship, there are male and female dvarapalas along the outer and inner doorways, both genders carrying weapons and a kind expression of welcome, and possibly symbolizing the theology in Shaiva and Shakta traditions

Above the river goddess flanked eastern doorway are piled up chaitya-hall style gavaksha ornamentation, which reminds one of the Buddhist designs. The doorway leads to the sanctum sanctorum or garbha griha. there is a decorative sculpture of Garuda at the entrance to the temple.

Picture courtesy - Kevin Standage

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