| Temples & Legends Of Bihar |
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| Temples & Legends
Of India |
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MUNDESVARI |
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| Mundesvari
temple is the earliest specimen of the Nagara type of temple architecture available in
Bihar. It is unfortunate that, although a distinct style of temple architecture, known as
the Nagara type, was evolved in Magadha with its centre at Pataliputra, specimens of it
even in Bihar are very rare. This gives an added importance to the Mundesvari temple,
although much of the structure has crumbled down. From the point of view of the age of
temples, this is the oldest in Bihar. The temple is in the shape of an octagon
(ashtasra) and an octagonal ground plan for a temple is rather rare. The Sankaracharya
temple at Srinagar built in the 18th century is another example. In the Mundesvari temple
there are doors or windows on four sides and small niches for the reception of statues in
theremaining four walls. The principal entrance is evidently to the east where a few
pillars are still to be seen.
These pillars must have once supported a portico. Inside the temple there is a lingam
with four heads and a statue of Durga, together with a large stone vessel and a stone
chest. Most of the latticed stone work on the windows has now disappeared but some of the
specimens are preserved in the window to the north. |
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