The Harshat Mata Temple ( IAST: ''Harṣat Mātā kā Mandir'') is a
Hindu temple
A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hin ...
in the
Abhaneri
Abhaneri, also spelled Abaneri, is a village in the Dausa district of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Abhaneri is popular for the Chand Baori step well and Harshat Mata Temple.
History
The village was originally named Abha Nagari, ("City of ...
(or "Abaneri") village of
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern s ...
, in north-western
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. The temple is now dedicated to a goddess called Harshat Mata, although some art historians theorize that it was originally a
Vaishnavite
Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...
shrine.
The original temple appears to have been built in the '' panchayatana'' style, which features a main shrine surrounded by four subsidiary shrines. Only parts of the main shrine now survive and they have been ruined and modified over several centuries, with the tall ''
shikhara
''Shikhara'' ( IAST: '), a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak", refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India, and also often used in Jain temples. A ''shikhara'' over the ''garbhagriha'' chambe ...
'' tower replaced by a roof-dome. Much of the platform survives, with fragments of carved stones from the original structure, but most of the sculptures have been removed to the museums in
Amber
Amber is fossilized tree resin that has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Much valued from antiquity to the present as a gemstone, amber is made into a variety of decorative objects."Amber" (2004). In ...
and
Jaipur
Jaipur (; Hindi: ''Jayapura''), formerly Jeypore, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. , the city had a population of 3.1 million, making it the tenth most populous city in the country. Jaipur is also known ...
.
No epigraphic evidence survives regarding the temple's construction, but based on an analysis of its architectural and sculptural styles, historians believe that it was built in the early 9th century, shortly after the construction of the adjoining
Chand Baori
Chand Baori is a stepwell situated in the village of Abhaneri in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It extends approximately 30m (100ft) into the ground, making it one of the deepest and largest stepwells in India.
History
Chand Baori is said to ...
stepwell. The temple's original builder is unknown, but historians theorize that it may have been built by a
Gurjara-Pratihara
The Gurjara-Pratihara was a dynasty that ruled much of Northern India from the mid-8th to the 11th century. They ruled first at Ujjain and later at Kannauj.
The Gurjara-Pratiharas were instrumental in containing Arab armies moving east of th ...
king, possibly in association with a local
Chahamana
Chauhan, historically ''Chahamana'', is a clan name historically associated with the various ruling Rajput families during the Medieval India in Rajasthan.
Subclans
Khichi, Hada, Songara, Bhadauria, Devda etc. are the branches or subclan ...
vassal. The temple is now protected by the
Archaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexand ...
, but remains in religious use.
History
Date
The original Harshat Mata temple has been ruined and modified over several centuries. No epigraphic evidence been found regarding the construction of the temple or the
Chand Baori
Chand Baori is a stepwell situated in the village of Abhaneri in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It extends approximately 30m (100ft) into the ground, making it one of the deepest and largest stepwells in India.
History
Chand Baori is said to ...
stepwell
Stepwells (also known as vavs or baori) are wells or ponds with a long corridor of steps that descend to the water level. Stepwells played a significant role in defining subterranean architecture in western India from 7th to 19th century. So ...
connected with it. Based on similarities in style and carvings with the terraced temples of Paranagar and Mandore, the Baodi can be dated to 8th-9th century. The Baodi was likely constructed before the temple, which can be dated to the 9th century based on stylistic grounds. Art historian Michael W Meister of
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
dates the temple complex to c. 800–825 CE based on architectural details.
Dedication
Based on analysis of sculptures at the temple, art historians such as Meister and R. C. Agrawala (1991) theorize that the temple was originally a
Vaishnava
Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...
shrine. Art historian Cynthia Packert Atherton (1995) theorizes that the temple's iconography is representative of the
Pancharatra
''Pancharatra'' ( IAST: ''Pāñcarātra'') was a religious movement in Hinduism that originated in late 3rd-century BCE around the ideas of Narayana and the various avatars of Vishnu as their central deities.University of Bonn
The Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University of Bonn (german: Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn) is a public research university located in Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded in its present form as the ( en, Rhine ...
, however, believes that the temple was always a
Shakta
Shaktism ( sa, शाक्त, , ) is one of several major Hindu denominations, wherein the metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically a woman and Shakti ( Mahadevi) is regarded as the supreme godhead. It includes many goddesses, all ...
temple dedicated to a goddess ( Devi). Reitz associates several sculptural fragments from Abhaneri - now kept in various museums - with the Harshat Mata temple, and concludes that these fragments show strong Shakta and Shaiva influence. According to Reitz, this is not surprising, since Durga and Parvati (Shiva's wife) are considered different aspects of the same goddess. Reitz states that the Vaishnava sculptures at the temple have a "subordinate position", and cannot be used to make any conclusions about the temple's sectarian affiliation. According to him, '' panchayatana'' temples tend to be
syncretic
Syncretism () is the practice of combining different beliefs and various schools of thought. Syncretism involves the merging or assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, thu ...
, and it is not surprising to find Vaishnava or Shaiva sculptures at a Shakta temple.
According to Reitz, the two fragments of a
Durga
Durga ( sa, दुर्गा, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars.
Durga's legend centres around c ...
sculpture discovered in the Chand Baori compound may have belonged to the main idol of the original temple. This sculpture appears to have been a high statue of Durga in her ''Mahishasura-mardini'' (killer of the buffalo demon) form. The bigger fragment shows the lower part of Durga's torso with her left leg, her lion
vahana
''Vahana'' ( sa, वाहन, or animal vehicle, literally "that which carries, that which pulls") denotes the being, typically an animal or mythical, a particular Hindu God is said to use as a vehicle. In this capacity, the vahana is often ...
, a male attendant, and a beheaded buffalo. The smaller fragment shows six right arms of the multi-armed Durga, with one of the arms pulling an arrow from the quiver; it also features the remains of a
halo
Halo, halos or haloes usually refer to:
* Halo (optical phenomenon)
* Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head
HALO, halo, halos or haloes may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Video games
* ''Halo'' (franch ...
in the form of a lotus leaf, and two
gandharva
A gandharva () is a member of a class of celestial beings in Dharmic religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, whose males are divine performers such as musicians and singers, and the females are divine dancers. In Hinduism, they are ...
s (heavenly beings). Reitz points out that the intact sculpture would have been similar to the idol in the Pipala-devi Temple at Osian, which like the Harshat Mata temple, has been dated to 800–825 CE by Meister.
Builder
The builder of the original temple is unknown. According to Agrawala, the sculptures are representative of the early
Gurjara-Pratihara
The Gurjara-Pratihara was a dynasty that ruled much of Northern India from the mid-8th to the 11th century. They ruled first at Ujjain and later at Kannauj.
The Gurjara-Pratiharas were instrumental in containing Arab armies moving east of th ...
art. Reitz theorizes that the temple may have been constructed under the patronage of a local
Chahamana
Chauhan, historically ''Chahamana'', is a clan name historically associated with the various ruling Rajput families during the Medieval India in Rajasthan.
Subclans
Khichi, Hada, Songara, Bhadauria, Devda etc. are the branches or subclan ...
prince (possibly Guvaka I) with support of his Gurjara-Pratihara overlord (possibly
Nagabhata II
Nagabhata II (reign 795–833) was an Indian Emperor from Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty. He ascended the throne of Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty after his father Vatsraja. His mother was queen Sundari-Devi. He was designated with imperial titles - ''Par ...
). He notes that
Shakambhari
Shakambhari (Sanskrit: शाकम्भरी, IAST: Śākambharī), also referred to as Shatakshi, is a goddess of nourishment. She is regarded to be an incarnation of Mahadevi, and identified with both Lakshmi and Durga in Hinduism. Aft ...
– the
tutelary deity
A tutelary () (also tutelar) is a deity or a spirit who is a guardian, patron, or protector of a particular place, geographic feature, person, lineage, nation, culture, or occupation. The etymology of "tutelary" expresses the concept of safety an ...
of the Chahamanas – has been identified as a form of Durga, and the Bhagavati Barah copper-plate inscription states that Bhagavati (another form of the goddess) was one of the tutelary deities of Nagabhata II. Atherton notes that the lack of adequate historical information prevents attribution of the temple to a particular ruler with certainty, but it is more likely that the Gurjara-Pratiharas – not the Chahamanas – were the patrons of the temple, with Nagabhata II being the best candidate.
Modern history
In the 20th century, the sanctum had a Durga idol, which was stolen. It was replaced with an idol of goddess
Lakshmi
Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...
, who is now worshipped as Harshat-Mata.
The temple remains in religious use; it was inscribed by the
Archaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexand ...
under Act No. LXXI of 1951 dated 28 November 1951.
Architecture
file:Abhaneri (2022-07-15) Harshat Mata ki Mandir -- img 13.jpg, A stone sculpture in the ruins depicting the possible
shikhara
''Shikhara'' ( IAST: '), a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak", refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India, and also often used in Jain temples. A ''shikhara'' over the ''garbhagriha'' chambe ...
appearance the temple was once crowned
The original temple appears to have been built in the panchayatana style, which features a main shrine surrounded by four subsidiary shrines. Only parts of the main shrine, and the bottom of an open mandapa with columns survive now, and they have been ruined and modified over several centuries, with roof-domes added. Much of the platform survives, and carved stones from the original structure lie around it, but most of the sculptures have been removed to the museums in Amber, Rajasthan and the Central Museum, Jaipur.
The entrance to the temple faces east, towards the rising sun. The temple complex is built on two broad stepped terraces (''jagati''), which originally included a
circumambulatory
Circumambulation (from Latin ''circum'' around and ''ambulātus ''to walk) is the act of moving around a sacred object or idol.
Circumambulation of temples or deity images is an integral part of Hindu and Buddhist devotional practice (known in S ...
path, and are now partially ruined. The boundary of the lower terrace has a relatively plain set of foundation and base moldings (''vedibandha''), which have decorative patterns at the top. The ruins of two small shrines flank the entrance stairway. The upper terrace is far more decorated, but is largely destroyed; the only image that remains intact is of
Narasimha
Narasimha ( sa, नरसिंह, lit=man-lion, ), sometimes rendered Narasingha, is the fourth avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. He is regarded to have incarnated in the form of a part-lion, part-man being to slay Hiranyakashipu, to end rel ...
flanked by warriors.
The four subsidiary shrines may have been located on the upper terrace. Frank Reitz, who believes that the main idol of the temple was always that of Durga, theorizes that the four subsidiary shrines were located to Surya (north-west corner), Ganesha (north-east corner), Karttikeya (south-east corner), and Lakshmi-Narayana or Uma-Maheshvara (south-west). Reitz's theory is based on an analysis of other contemporary and near-contemporary temples, as well as a study of various fragments found at the Chand Baori compound or housed at various museums.
Harṣat Mata ka Mandir 2019 (13).jpg , Entrance stairs
Abhaneri-Harshat Mata-Tempel-16-2018-gje.jpg , Main dome around the ''
garbhagriha
A ''garbhagriha'' or ''sannidhanam'' is the ''sanctum sanctorum'', the innermost sanctuary of a Hindu and Jain temples where resides the '' murti'' (idol or icon) of the primary deity of the temple. In Jainism, the main deity is known as the ' ...
''
आभानेरी 04.JPG , Harshat Mata's image in the sanctum
Harṣat Mata ka Mandir 2019 (11).jpg , Stone carvings on the upper terrace
The main shrine is erected on a platform (''mancha'') located at the top of the two terraces. The platform is bounded by a circumambulatory path (''sandhara''), which was connected to a pillared porch (''gudhamandapa''). The original path and the porch have been destroyed, and have been rebuilt haphazardly. The platform features figures engaged in amorous activities, which seem to be depictions of encounters between a royal figure and his consorts. According to art historian Cynthia Packert Atherton (1995), these are an idealized portrayal of the temple's royal patron, and are symbolic of Vishnu's reign on earth, thus reinforcing the idea of
divine kingship
In many historical societies, the position of kingship carries a sacral meaning; that is, it is identical with that of a high priest and judge. The concept of theocracy is related, although a sacred king need not necessarily rule through hi ...
.
Several sculptural fragments found at the compound of the adjoining
Chand Baori
Chand Baori is a stepwell situated in the village of Abhaneri in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It extends approximately 30m (100ft) into the ground, making it one of the deepest and largest stepwells in India.
History
Chand Baori is said to ...
stepwell; the format and dimensions of these fragments suggest that they were once attached to the base moldings on the circumambulatory path. The majority of these fragments feature
Shaivite
Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangin ...
images, including those of
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
Parvati
Parvati ( sa, पार्वती, ), Uma ( sa, उमा, ) or Gauri ( sa, गौरी, ) is the Hindu goddess of power, energy, nourishment, harmony, love, beauty, devotion, and motherhood. She is a physical representation of Mahadevi i ...
, their son
Karttikeya
Kartikeya ( sa, कार्त्तिकेय, Kārttikeya), also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha (), and Murugan ( ta, முருகன்), is the Hindu god of war. He is the son of Parvati and Shiva, the brother of Ganesha ...
, and Shiva's bull Nandi. There is no evidence of any Shaivite shrine having existed in the temple complex. The Harshat Mata temple is now a Devi shrine, and is theorized to have originally been a
Vaishnavite
Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...
shrine; therefore, the iconographic significance of these fragments is not clear.
A preserved crafts-work of an Indian Goddess.JPG , Goddess
Harṣat Mata ka Mandir 2019 (10).jpg , Deity
आभानेरी 08.JPG , Man with bow and arrow
File:Harṣat Mata ka Mandir 2019 (9).jpg , Seated deity
A stone carved in the shape of a flower at Abhaneri Harshat Mata Temple.JPG, Carved flower sculpture
A very well crafted mound at Ahaneri.JPG , Crated mound
Harshat Mata Temple 2.JPG , Sculpted slabs
Harṣat Mata ka Mandir 2019 (12).jpg, Pillar
An exquisitely carved peacock in the Abhaneri temple of Harshat mata.JPG, Carved peacock sculpture
Apiece of Art depicting love in the Harshat Mata Temple.JPG , Amorous activities
The original main shrine was much taller with a superstructure (''
shikhara
''Shikhara'' ( IAST: '), a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak", refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India, and also often used in Jain temples. A ''shikhara'' over the ''garbhagriha'' chambe ...
'') tower. However, the superstructure has been destroyed, and later rebuilt with a simple dome. The sculptures on the temple walls have largely been lost: the surviving sculptures include those of
Vishnu
Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...
, his
vahana
''Vahana'' ( sa, वाहन, or animal vehicle, literally "that which carries, that which pulls") denotes the being, typically an animal or mythical, a particular Hindu God is said to use as a vehicle. In this capacity, the vahana is often ...
- the
Garuda
Garuda (Sanskrit: ; Pāli: ; Vedic Sanskrit: गरुळ Garuḷa) is a Hindu demigod and divine creature mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths. He is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. Garuda ...
,
Balarama
Balarama ( Sanskrit: बलराम, IAST: ''Balarāma'') is a Hindu god and the elder brother of Krishna. He is particularly significant in the Jagannath tradition, as one of the triad deities. He is also known as Haladhara, Halayudha, Bala ...
Agni
Agni (English: , sa, अग्नि, translit=Agni) is a Sanskrit word meaning fire and connotes the Vedic fire deity of Hinduism. He is also the guardian deity of the southeast direction and is typically found in southeast corners of Hindu ...
, a four-armed Shiva-like seated male, a male seated on a
makara
''Makara'' ( sa, मकर, translit=Makara) is a legendary sea-creature in Hindu mythology. In Hindu astrology, Makara is equivalent to the Zodiac sign Capricorn.
Makara appears as the vahana (vehicle) of the river goddess Ganga, Narmada, a ...
(mythical sea creature), a kneeling male having his foot massaged by four female attendants, dancers, and a musician, among others.
According to art historian Cynthia Packert Atherton, these images can be explained with reference to the
Vishnu
Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...
worship as described in the
Pancharatra
''Pancharatra'' ( IAST: ''Pāñcarātra'') was a religious movement in Hinduism that originated in late 3rd-century BCE around the ideas of Narayana and the various avatars of Vishnu as their central deities.Samkarshana (Balarama) emanates from Vasudeva; his son
Pradyumna
Pradyumna ( sa, प्रद्युम्न) is the eldest son of the Hindu deities Krishna and his chief consort, Rukmini. He is considered to be one of the four vyuha avatars of Vishnu. According to the Bhagavata Purana, Pradyumna was ...
emanates from Balarama; and his grandson
Aniruddha
Aniruddha ( sa, अनिरुद्ध ') is a character in Hindu mythology, the son of Pradyumna and Rukmavati, and the grandson of Krishna and Rukmini. He is said to have been very much like his grandfather, to the extent that he is co ...
emanates from Pradyumna.
The temple's inner structure has a ''
pancharatha
A Hindu temple is a ''pancharatha'' when there are five '' ratha'' (on plan) or ''paga'' (on elevation) on the tower of the temple (generally a ''shikhara''). The rathas are vertical offset projection or facets.
The name comes from the sanskri ...
'' sanctum (''
garbhagriha
A ''garbhagriha'' or ''sannidhanam'' is the ''sanctum sanctorum'', the innermost sanctuary of a Hindu and Jain temples where resides the '' murti'' (idol or icon) of the primary deity of the temple. In Jainism, the main deity is known as the ' ...
''): it has an idol of Harshat Mata that was not present in the original temple.
See also
* Harshnath Temple, constructed during the reign of Chahamana king
Vigraharaja II
Vigraharāja II (r. c. 971-998 CE ) was a king belonging to the Shakambhari Chahamana dynasty. He ruled the Sapadalaksha country, which included parts of present-day Rajasthan in north-western India.
Early life
Vigrahraja was born to the Cha ...