The Mahadev Temple in Deobaloda is dedicated to Lord

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 ...

in the

Indian state India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, with a total of 36 entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and smaller administrative divisions. History Pre-indepen ...

Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh (, ) is a landlocked state in Central India. It is the ninth largest state by area, and with a population of roughly 30 million, the seventeenth most populous. It borders seven states – Uttar Pradesh to the north, Madhya Prade ...

. This temple belongs to the Kalchuri Period. The temple is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India. Temple witnesses high footfall during

Mahashivratri Maha Shivaratri ( IAST: Mahāśivarātri) is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the god Shiva. The name also refers to the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance called Tandava. In every month of the luni-solar Hindu ...

when the devotees form nearby villages gather here for Lord Shiva’s blessing. The event is also accompanied by a small fair.

Overview

It is an ancient temple built by

Kalchuri The Kalachuris ( IAST: Kalacuri), also known as Kalachuris of Mahishmati, were an Indian dynasty that ruled in west-central India between 6th and 7th centuries. They are also known as the Haihayas or as the Early Kalachuris to distinguish them ...

s during the 13th century AD. It is said that this temple was built in just 6 months and that is why it is also called 6 Maashi (Maasi or Masi, in English - Months) temple. The temple is having a Kund and it is believed to be connected to another old town

Arang Arang, also known as "''The town of temples''" of Chhattisgarh, is a block and a Nagar Palika in Raipur District in the state of Chhattisgarh, India. It is situated near the eastern limits of Raipur City and close to Mahasamund City. Arang is a ...

of Chhattisgarh state through a tunnel

Architecture

The temple is east facing, built of sand stone. It has a

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 ''M ...

and a pillared Navaranga

Mandapa A mandapa or mantapa () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture. Mandapas are described as "open" or "closed" depending on whether they have walls. In temples, ...

(hall). The

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'' chamber ...

which is supposed to have been built in Nagara style is missing. The Garbhagriha houses a

Shiva Linga A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary ''murti'' or devotional im ...

of about 1.5 feet in height, which is approached through a highly ornate door entrance guarded by

Shaiva 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 ...

Dwarpalas.Inside the garbhgriha one can find idols of Goddess

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 ...

Ganesha Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu d ...

and

Hanuman Hanuman (; sa, हनुमान, ), also called Anjaneya (), is a Hindu god and a divine '' vanara'' companion of the god Rama. Hanuman is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is an ardent devotee of Rama and on ...

among others. The mandapa pillars are adorned with images of

Bhairava Bhairava (Sanskrit: भैरव ) or Kala Bhairava is a Shaivite and Vajrayāna deity worshiped by Hindus and Buddhists. In Shaivism, he is a powerful manifestation, or avatar, of Shiva associated with annihilation. In Trika system ''Bhairava ...

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" within t ...

, Mahishasur mardini (a form of Devi

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 co ...

who killed the demon

Mahishasura Mahishasura is a bovine asura in Hinduism. He is depicted in literature to be a deceitful demon who pursued his evil ways by shape-shifting. Mahishasura was the son of Mahisi (Buffalo) and the great-grandson of Brahmarshi Kashyapa. He was ultim ...

), shiva, musicians, dancers and

Kirtimukha Kirtimukha (Sanskrit: कीर्तिमुख ,', also ', a bahuvrihi compound translating to "glorious face") is the name of a swallowing fierce monster face with huge fangs, and gaping mouth, very common in the iconography of Hindu temple arc ...

designs. The exterior of the temple near the entrance is adorned with decorated band of Gaja, Asva and Nara. The temple wall portion has two decorated segments adorned with images of Tripurantaka Siva, Gajantaka Siva,

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 ...

Radha Krishna Radha-Krishna (IAST , sa, राधा कृष्ण) are collectively known within Hinduism as the combined forms of feminine as well as the masculine realities of God. Krishna and Radha are the primeval forms of God and his pleasure potenc ...

Ganesh Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva_(Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is ...

Varaha Varaha ( sa, वराह, , "boar") is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, in the form of a boar. Varaha is generally listed as third in the Dashavatara, the ten principal avatars of Vishnu. Varaha is most commonly associated with the lege ...

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 ...

along with other depictions of Gods and Goddesses. One can find pictorial representation of hunting, hunters and bull fighting on the walls of temple. A

nandi Nandi may refer to: People * Nandy (surname), Indian surname * Nandi (mother of Shaka) (1760–1827), daughter of Bhebe of the Langeni tribe * Onandi Lowe (born 1974), Jamaican footballer nicknamed Nandi * Nandi Bushell (born 2010), South Afri ...

is placed in front of the temple, as if it is guarding it. The Temple courtyard has a store house like shed where one can see antique idols and statues that have been found during excavation, which may have belonged to the temple.

Legend

It is believed that the sculptor who was building the temple got so much engrossed in his work that he didn’t care about his clothes. He became naked while continuing to work day and night to complete the temple. His wife used to bring food for him, but one day his sister came. Seeing this they both got ashamed and to hide himself he jumped in the Kund(holy pond inside the temple complex) near to the temple from the rooftop. Seeing this his sister also jumped in the nearby pond. Both pond and kund exist till date. The pond is called Kasara Talab because the sister was believed to be carrying the

Kalasha A kalasha, also spelled kalash or kalasa, also called ghat or ghot ( sa, कलश , Telugu: కలశము Kannada: ಕಳಶ literally "pitcher, pot"), is a metal (brass, copper, silver or gold) pot with a large base and small mouth, large eno ...

for water. A Kalash Type stone is still present there. The locals believe there is a secret tunnel inside the Kund that leads to a temple in Arang. The sculptor when he jumped , found the tunnel and reached Aaang where he became a stone. At that place Bhanadeva temple is built. The Kund is having 23 steps and 2 wells beside it. In one the flow of water is never stops.

Location

The Mahadev Temple is built in the small town of Deobaloda in Bhilai Charoda.It is well connected by train and road. By road: The temple is well connected by the National Highway by road, located 20 km from the capital

Raipur Raipur ( ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Raipur is also the administrative headquarters of Raipur district and Raipur division, and the largest city of the state. It was a part of Madhya Pradesh before the state of Chh ...

city and about 15 km from

Bhilai Bhilai is a city in Durg district of the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Chhattisgarh, in eastern central India. With population exceeding 1 million, it is the second-largest urban area in Chhattisgarh after Raipur. Bhil ...

nagar. By train: Deobloda Charoda Railway station is located just near the temple, which serves as a stop for Local and Passenger trains. By airport: The nearest airport is

Swami Vivekananda Airport Swami Vivekananda International Airport (referred as VARP until February 2018), formerly known as Mana Airport, is a major airport serving the state of Chhattisgarh, India. It is the busiest airport in Central India and the busiest in Chhattis ...

Raipur.

Gallery

File:Shiva Temple, Deobaloda 9.jpg, Temple wall with carvings of animals, hunters and stories File:Kund at Riuned Shiva Temple, Deobaloda.jpg, kund at the temple File:Shiva Temple, Deobaloda 02.jpg, Entrance to the garbhgriha File:Shiva Temple, Deobaloda 08.jpg, Entrance to the temple

References

External Links

{{Hindu temples in Chhattisgarh Shiva temples in Chhattisgarh Hindu temples in Durg district Shiva temples 13th-century Hindu temples Buildings and structures completed in the 13th century