An ethereal sopt of Padavali is a lost treasure in the sands of time and it’s surprising as to why. And how. The temple has possibly the most ornate carvings and structure amongst all the Hindu temples. Its a literally jaw-dropping wonder in itself where the pillars, the lintels and beams are densely carved in stunning 3D-like shapes depicting Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, certain scenes from Ramayana and Mahabharata, SamudraManthan, wedding of Ganesh, Shiva dancing in Pret form, Krishna raas-leela and numerous other gods and goddesses. A spectacular pillar of lion and lioness guides its entrance. It’s only unfortunate that a man-made marvel of such finesse is less known amongst travellers and architecture aficionados.
How to reach- Padavali is located 25 km from the town of Morena, which is well connected with major cities of the country by rail and road. Local taxis and buses are available from Morena.
Food and Accommodation- Morena has many affordable rest houses, hotels and good restaurants.
Situated on top of a hillock, Mitawali is a phenomenal circular temple that is often known to inspire Herbert Baker while designing India’s Parliament. Resting on pillars on the outer circumambulatory path that opens into a central courtyard, Mitawali is home to sixty-four mini temples and each houses a ‘Shivlinga!’
How to reach- Mitawali is about 30 km from the town of Morena, which is fairly connected with all the major cities of India via road and rail. Local taxis or buses are available from Morena.
Food and Accommodation- Morena offers many affordable rest houses, hotels and good restaurants.
Spread over twenty five acres on the sloping hills near the village of Padavali, Bateshwar is an abode of over 200 archaic temples. Most of the temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva and Vishnu and were built around 8th to 10th century AD. Bateshwar is honored as one of the few places on earth to have so many temples clustered at one place.
The marvelous carvings on their walls are so mesmerizing that one can’t even blink an eye.
And all credits to the Archaeological Survey Of India for duly restoring the damaged ancient temples and taking care of this less known gem yet to flaunt its glare to the world.
How to reach:-Bateshwar is situated 25 km from the town of Morena, which is fairly connected with major cities of the country via road and rail.
Food and accommodation- Morena has affordable rest houses, hotels and restaurants.
Bagh caves are a cluster of nine rock cut monuments renowned for mural paintings by the ancient painters of India. Very akin to Ajanta and Ellora, the caves are rare specimen of rock-cut structure in India. Lieutenant Dangerfield, who published his findings in the transactions of the Literary Society of Bomaby in 1881, first discovered Bagh Caves. The caves sheltered tigers at a point of time, thus were named after them.
How To Reach- Indore, 165 km from Bagh Caves, is the nearest Railway station and Airport. Bagh Caves are situated 80 km from Dhar, which is well connected with all the cities of the state via road.
Food and Accommodation- Easily available at Dhar
Situated in the town of Bhojpur named after its ruler “Bhoja”, this temple houses the largest Shivlinga in India. Crafted from a single rock, it is 18 feet tall and 7.5 feet in circumference. In addition, there are numerous architectural drawings that depict moldings, pillars and temple plans. Immediate opposite to the temple is the Parvati Cave that shelters drawings, sculptures and architectural fragments dating back to the eleventh century.
How to Reach- Bhojpur is about 30 km from the capital city of Bhopal, which is thoroughly connected with major cities of the country by rail and air.
Food and Accommodation- Easily available at affordable rates in Bhojpur.
Swapnil Gaur For mptravelogue.com
