Bhojeshwar Temple

About Bhojeshwar Temple

Bhojeshwar Temple stands on a mountain abutting Bhojpur in Madhya Pradesh, roughly 32 km from the state capital, Bhopal. It is attributed to Raja Bhoj, with the building work dated to the years 1010 to 1055 AD. The Shivling at its centre is cut from a single stone, 18 feet long and 7.5 feet in diameter, and thousands of devotees come each year to pray here.

The temple was never finished. Had the work been completed it could have stood among the largest Shiva temples anywhere. The Archaeological Survey of India is responsible for protecting the site, which remains under pressure because local builders keep taking stone from the temple remains.

What to look for

The monolithic Shivling

The Shivling is the reason the temple exists at its present scale. It was carved from one stone, 18 feet long with a diameter of 7.5 feet, and sits under a roof that was never completed. Visitors usually spend most of their time in this chamber.

The construction slope

Behind the temple is a long earthen slope. It is believed to have been used to roll the building stones up to the working level, and it is said that no other similar structure in the world preserves this technique for raising huge complexes.

Drawings in the quarry

Flat rock surfaces around the site carry etched architectural drawings. They set out temple plans, mouldings and pillars, in effect the working drawings of the builders, and they are among the clearest evidence of how the temple was meant to look.

Planning your visit

The temple is an open stone monument on high ground, so most of a visit is spent outdoors on uneven rock.

• Bhopal is the usual base, with the temple about 32 km away.
• Wear footwear you can walk on rock in, and that is easy to remove at the shrine.
• Allow time for the slope and the quarry drawings behind the temple, not just the main chamber.
• Carry drinking water; the site is exposed.

Best time to visit

Because the temple is open to the sky, the cooler parts of the day are the easiest for walking around the rock surfaces and the slope behind the structure. Early morning and late afternoon also suit photography of the Shivling chamber, which takes its light from above. Confirm current opening arrangements locally before travelling.