Bhu Varaha Swamy temple - Srimushnam

Sri Bhoo Varahaswamy Temple is dedicated to the third incarnation of the Lord Vishnu as Bhu Varahaswamy with the face of a wild boar. This temple is in Srimushnam around 40 Km from Chidambaram. First built by Cholas in 11th century this temple has significant contributions from the Thanjavur Nayak king Achuthappa Nayak. 

The highlight of this temple is the sixteen pillared Mandapam (Hall) built by Achutappa Nayak. Each pillar is a monolith and sculpted with sculptures of Yali, musicians, dancers, miniature idols and Gods. They have not left even the ceiling of the mandapam vacant. There are 24 masterpieces on the ceiling too. The Gopuram of this temple is seven layered studded with numerous sculptures. 

This mandapam is full of sculptures – all kinds of reliefs! It looks like it is an exhibition of their talent! Stand alone sculptures of elaborately decorated women are the main attraction in this mandapam!

In an age of rising religious intolerance a festival tradition that celebrates the unity between Hindus & Muslims is practiced in this temple. During the Maasi Maasam procession Bhoo Varahaswamy stops in front of the Dargah to pay homage to the Sufi Saint. During the halt the Imam offers prayers, rice, dry fruits & coconuts to the deity. In return a silk shawl with Tulsi leaves is offered at the Dargah for worship by Muslims! This happens once a year even today! This is the only Hindu temple which allows Muslims to enter it to pray to Hindu God!

Rajarani Temple

Rajarani Temple is an eleventh century Hindu temple located in Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha (Orissa previously), India. It is locally known as a "love temple" because of the erotic carvings of women and couples in the temple. (But I did not see any such sculptures in this temple. Probably it was there during those days). But according to Orissa tourism – the name   Rajarani is because of the local sandstone used to build it – I would believe this.

Rajarani Temple is built on a raised platform with two structures: a central shrine called the vimana (sanctum) with a bada (curvilinear spire) over its roof rising to a height of 18 m (59 ft), and a viewing hall called jagamohana with a pyramidal roof. The temple was constructed of dull red and yellow sandstone locally called "Rajarani". 

At present there is no idol inside the sanctum, and hence it is not in worship.This temple too roughly belongs to the same period as that of Jagannath Temple of Puri. The architecture of other temples in central India is believed to have originated with this temple, the notable one being the Khajuraho temples!

Rajarani Temple is famous for its sculpted figures and the successive tiers of projections rising to form its 18 m tower. 

This temple is also famous for the tall and slender nayikas (temple figures) carved in high relief on the walls-figures in amorous dalliance and in such acts as fondling her child, looking into the mirror, taking off her anklet, caressing the bird, playing instrument, holding branches of trees. 

Presently this temple is not under worship and it is declared as a monument by Archaeological Society of India. Photography is allowed in this temple. 

Alampur Group of temples

Alampur is a tiny village on the boarder of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh! It is around 200 kms from the capital city of Telangana – Hyderabad.

This village is of tremendous archaeological and historical importance!  This region was under the rule of Pulakesi I during the 6th century. Subsequently it was ruled by various kings of Chalukyan Dynasty till it was invaded by Moguls during 1350 CE. During the Chalukyan rule starting from Pulakesi I various kings have built many temples in Alampur.

There are three clusters of temples in Alampur - Papanasi group of temples, Navabrahma temples and The Sangameshwara Temple.

Papanasi Temples are a group of twenty three Hindu temples dated between 9th- and 11th-century.

Navabrahma Temples are a group of nine early Chalukyan Hindu temples dated back to 7th century and are located near the meeting point of Tungabhadra River and Krishna River at the border of Telangana - Andhra Pradesh.

Then the stand alone temple of Sangameshwara Temple which was originally built at Kudaveli village, by the confluence (sangam) of two major sacred rivers the Tungabhadra and Krishna. Sangameshwara comes from the word Sangam meaning confluence of two or more rivers. The Sangameshwara Temple was constructed by Pulakesi I (540 CE to 566 CE) - in a similar style to the Navabrahma Temples.

When the Srisailam Dam was about to be built across Tungabadhra river, it was certain that this 7th century temple would be submerged in the waters of the catchment area of the dam. It was then the Archaeological Survey of India came out with the brilliant idea of uprooting the entire temple from its original place of construction and rebuilding it far away in a safer place so that this wonderful temple could be saved for posterity!  

So what we see today as Sangameshwara Temple is actually a reconstructed temple by Archaeological Survey of India.

The temples are significant for their simple square plans, intricate carvings of themes of Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism. They also contain early examples of friezes that narrate legends from Hindu texts. The temples were a significant influence on the later era Kakatiya Hindu temples. 

The Alampur Navabrahma temples were badly damaged and some razed to the ground during the Islamic invasion of this region in 1390. They were built by the Badami Chalukyas rulers, and early 8th-century inscriptions are found at the site which suggests that the site also had a Hindu monastery which has not survived. Their ruins have been restored by the Archaeological Survey of India after 1980.

All the temples in Alampur are under the care of Archaeological Survey of India. Still photography is allowed in every temple. 

Unusual sculptures

In many Hindu temples we see bas-reliefs of animals and humans which are different from other sculptures.

In some we can see two or more images of the same or different animal/human share a certain portion of the body. With the result it gives a sort of optical illusion. Multiple images sharing a common portion of the body!   

I have seen from two images to six images in the same sculpture! Obviously it takes a very talented and super imaginative sculptor to make.

This kind of sculpture is not very common and can be seen only in very few temples.

Here I have posted pictures of such sculptures which I have seen and photographed!

This is called Rishaba Kunjaram - A bull & an elephant - 2 images sharing the head

Another Rishaba Kunjaram 

Three images sharing the head & trunk.

Three images sharing the head & trunk.

Three images sharing the head & trunk.

Four images

6 images sharing the head and trunk