Ancient Temples of Kalachuri

About the Ancient Temples of Kalachuri

The Ancient Temples of the Kalachuri period were built under Kalachuri Maharaja Karnadeva, who ruled from 1042 to 1072 AD. They stand just behind the Narmada Kund, a short walk to the south, and form one of the most complete groups of medieval temple architecture surviving in this part of central India.

The group is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India. The lawns around it are kept trimmed and the shrines are open to the sky, so the carving reads clearly in morning light. Devotees come through the year, and the complex is busiest around Shivratri and the Narmada festivals.

What to see

Pataleshwar Mahadev Temple

The most unusual shrine in the group. Its sanctum sits about ten feet below ground level and is reached by steps descending from the raised mandapa, a plan rarely seen in the region. Tradition links the lingam inside to Adi Shankaracharya, who is believed to have been consecrated on the banks of the Narmada at Amarkantak. The shrine is also known locally as Surajkund.

Keshav Narayan Temple

A twin-shrine temple laid out around a shared mandapa, both sanctums dedicated to Vishnu. Look for the lotus scrollwork on the door jambs, the bracketed columns and the stepped pyramidal spires. It was built by the Bhonsle ruler of Nagpur in the eighteenth century.

Machhendranath Temple

An eleventh-century Shiva shrine with a square sanctum and a stepped spire in the local sandstone, weathered now to a warm red.

Karna Temple

Three shrines raised on a single high platform, each facing a different direction. The sculpted door jambs, arabesque pilasters and chaitya-window motifs are the finest carving in the group.

Planning your visit

The complex sits roughly two kilometres from the Amarkantak bus stand and a few minutes on foot from the Narmada Kund, so most visitors see the two together. Local buses and auto rickshaws run to the temples through the day.

• Early morning gives the best light on the east-facing carving and the quietest darshan.
• Footwear comes off at the shrine entrances, so slip-ons are easier than laces.
• The steps down into the Pataleshwar sanctum are steep and often damp, so take them slowly.
• There is no ticket counter; the monument is free to enter.

Best time to visit

October to March is the comfortable season on the plateau, with clear days and cool evenings. The monsoon, from July to September, turns Amarkantak green and the waterfalls full, though the stone gets slippery underfoot. Summer afternoons are hot and best avoided for a walking visit.