An eleventh-century Shiva temple in Bhojpur tells the story of a king’s unfulfilled dream-OxBig News Network

The red stone edifice, dedicated to Shiva, is unfinished yet rich in architectural splendour.
| Photo Credit: P. Panneerselvam

India, the land where history resonates through its temples, palaces, and even remnants of war and ruins, has many interesting stories about different rulers and their unfinished legacies. Among these, the Bhojeswara Temple at Bhojpur village, in Madhya Pradesh, speaks of a dream that was left unfulfilled — an unfinished structure yet complete in its grandeur, modest in attendance but overflowing with artistic splendour.

Full view of the Bhojeswar temple with its foyer and mandapams seen in the forefront.
| Photo Credit:
P. Panneerselvam

Located in a quaint village of Bhojpur, on the banks of river Betwa, this 11th-century temple, dedicated to Shiva, is often ascribed to King Bhoj, the most illustrious ruler of the Paramara dynasty,

The huge pillars with the Shiva lingam seen in the centre at Bhojeswar temple.
| Photo Credit:
P. Panneerselvam

A short drive from the city of Bhopal leads to this temple. As one moves closer, the temple looks like an open book, its solid red sandstone edifice . is contiguous to a large plinth (3.6mx8mx4m) originally meant for a mandapa and for the devotees to have darshan.

An intricately carved statue seen inside the unfinished marvel.
| Photo Credit:
P. Panneerselvam

The access to the sanctum is through a towering 10-metre-high doorway and the doors are embellished with exquisite sculptures of river goddesses and dwarapalakas, standing as silent sentinels to an architectural marvel that never reached its final form.

The icons of river goddesses adorning the pillars of the Bhojeswar temple in Madhya Pradesh.
| Photo Credit:
P. Panneerselvam

As we climb an iron ladder and reach the garbagriha, we stand in front of a colossal Shiva lingam, standing at 2.3 meters in height, and resting on a massive jaladhara (pedestal) of 4.4 meters height. It is an imposing sight that reminds of the grand lingam at the Brihadeeswarar temple in Thanjavur. Another interesting feature of the lingam is that it is a monolithic structure.

The colossal lingam standing at 2.3 meters in height, and resting on a massive which sits on a huge jaladhara (pedestal) of 4.4 meters height at the Bhojeswar temple.
| Photo Credit:
P. Panneerselvam

The sanctum is supported by four colossal pillars and the lingam is seen in the centre. The shikara, once open to the sky, is now closed with a fibre-glass covering. As the legend goes, a huge stone from the centre fell on the pitha (avudaiyar) breaking it into two, and later ASI refixed it. The richly carved icons of HIndu deities that adorn the pillars and ceiling inside the temple, seem to have been influenced by the Dravidian architecture. All sides of the temple, except for the facade, remain unadorned, with a few blind projecting balconies breaking the monotony.

One can find the line drawings, sketches of plans and layouts, etched on rocks in the nearby quarries. They also indicate structures intended to be constructed, of which is a massive corbelled ceiling which would have soared to a 100m on its completion. The unused carved stones, and earthern ramp are found in the temple precincts. The vision of King Bhoj, who authored the architectural treatise Samaranganasutradhara, remains etched in every stone, which speaks of the unparalleled craftsmanship and engineering prowess of the Paramara dynasty.

Even in an incomplete state, the Bhojeswara temple remains a marvel. As an expert historian rightly observes, history lingers at this place, where a king’s dream project, with a towering shikara, mandapa in the foyer and minor temples with intricate carvings for deities, continues to captivate those who visit this Shiva temple.

Next time when you plan to visit Ujjain or Omkaraeshwar, take a detour to Bhopal, to experience the quaintness that prevail inside the Bhojeswara temple.