KULU-MANALI

The Bajoura temple of Visheshar-Mahadev could be taken as a typical specimen of the Kulu valley workmanship in thetemples. The shikhara has decorative motifs, the pot, creepers, and foliage pattern on the outer covering. The garbhagriha with door jambs are carved with figures of flowers and patterns of creepers and leaves. The three sides of the temple leaving the open door way to the garbhagriha have carvings, sculptured deities including the figure of Durga, the emblem, of good, slaying Mahishasur, the emblem of evil.

The Durga Devi has a crown and eight arms holding different weapons. One of which pierced in the heart of the buffalo- demon. The Siva temples in this complex usually have a Nandi bull made out of a block of stone, large or small. There is usually a mandapa and a garbhagriha with the phallic emblem (lingam) of Lord Siva. The Siva temple at village Dashal about half a mile from the Nagar-Manali road is a typical example of small Siva temples of which we have quite a number.

There is a tower and the usual sculpture mentioned before. There are two female figures in the heavy-type of a female, which was accepted as an example of an Indian beauty. Penelope Chetwode obviously makes a mistake when she thinks that these figures are more likely to be dwarapalas. Such female figures particularly with the trident are not usually associated with dvarapalas.

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