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| 750 CE Shiva- Vishnu temple Teli Ka mandir, Gwalior fort. twitter.com |
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Shiva- Vishnu temple Teli Ka mandir, Gwalior fort. in.worldorgs.com
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Above image: An ancient Shiva- Vishnu temple called Teli Ka Mandir in Gwalior fort. Built during 750 CE in Gwalior, it is a 100 foot tall stricture with different types of architectural features, a sort of con concoction of South and North Indian design elements. Invaded by the Delhi sultanate army in 1232 CE the temple faced severe destruction. Subsequently in 1882 it was restored by the Maratha rulers.
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| Shiva and Vishnu mandir Teli Ka temple,Gwalior en. wikipedia org |
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| Shive- Vishnu temple, Gwalior Teli Ka mandir side view.en.wikipedia.org |
In the North Indian states seldom do we run into an ancient temple collectively dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Sakthi that too with a unique architecture. Built in 750 CE inside the famous Gwalior fort in Gwalior, MP, age of this temple is a bone of contention among Western scholars; it is not older than 7th century. Indian scholar Bajpai has mentioned that the temple may have come up during the reign of the Gurjara-Pratihara Mihira Bhoja. Nearby located are countless temple clusters including damaged ones built with Nagara, Pancharatha (five rathas) style adhering to Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Shakism sects and most of them are dated between the 6th and 10th century. What is special about this temple is its mixed design - Valabhi shikhara similar to the gopuram of Dravidian - styled temples and its Nagara base. Carvings on the temple's outer walls is extensive.
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| Tele Ka mandir.kevinstandagephotography.wordpress.com |
The visitors to this place are appalled by the enormity of damages inflicted on this beautiful ancient temple by the invading army of the Delhi Sultanate It was during the reign of Qutb-ud-din Aibak and his successor Iltutmish in 1232 CE the temple was plundered and looted. The invaders expected vast valuable treasures in the temple. Soon after plundering women folks in the fort committed Jauhar - self immolation to avoid being abused by the enemies. There are evidences that attempts had been made by the Sultanate to build a mosque nearby. In the later years the Maratha army razed the mosque and rebuilt the temple.
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Damaged Telika mandir, Gwalior fort, MP. blogger.com
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Above image: Teli Ka mandir, Gwalior. ''The process of restoration, re produced as plate 40 in Sir Lepel Griffin, ‘Famous Monuments of Central India’ (London, [1886]): ‘Up to 1879 the Teli Mandir remained in a shameful state of neglect, covered from summit to basement with chuna and whitewash, the former being in the form of hard concrete with which the Muhammadans had bespattered it. To the circumstances of their adapting it for utilitarian purposes we owe perhaps its existence at the present day. Until I remonstrated, it was utilized by ourselves as a coffee-shop for the fort garrison. Through the kind intervention of Colonel Hawkins … the coffee shop was vacated, and since then I have been engaged in cleaning it and superintending several repairs made under the direction of Major Crowdy. It has been thoroughly cleaned inside and outside up to the horizontal bands. Around the building has been prepared, through the instrumentality of prison labor, an archaeological museum, and an attempt has been made to repair the vandalism of previous years. When the repairs to the cornice and porch are completed, a very remarkable building will have been rescued.’ (pp. 689).'' https://royalasiaticcollections.org/photo-13-004-teli-ka-mandir-gwalior-fort/
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8th-9th century restoration work 1882 Telika mandir en.wikipedia.org
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The credit goes to a good-hearted European - Major Keith, an officer of the Royal Scots Regiment stationed in Gwalior. Between 1881 and 1883, restoration of this amazing temple was undertaken at his initiative. By 1885 restoration was over and a sculpture garden was added.
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| Location of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India..mapsofindia.com |
Nowhere in Northern states one can witness Shiva, Vishnu and Durga (Sakthi) being worshipped on the same temple premises and it is corroborated by icons and inscriptions related to major traditions of Hinduism, Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism. A devotional hymn about Durga, the relief work on Garuda, the Vahana of Vishnu and a Shiva linga in the temple suggest the blend of three worship traditions.
Yet another contentious issue is the origin of this temple. Who had built the Teli Ka Mandir? In the absence of related inscriptions it is difficult to come up with an acceptable solution. Local folks are of strong view that the temple was built by people belonging to oil (edible) business caste and neither princely nor priestly class had established the temple.
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Telika mandir Ornate pillar, flicker.com
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The distinctive feature of this temple is its tall ornate entrance way - 35 foot tall. There are several inscriptions in the entrance panels three of them dated back to pre-10th century and others from 15th-century. The relief work of Garuda above the door way, Ganesha relief. above another doorway besides a Nandi and lingam inside in the sanctum point out Vishnu-Shiva worship traditions The discovery of a devotional hymn on Durga throws light on Sakthi worship tradition. .
Unlike many Hindu temples, this one has no roof covered mantapa close to the sanctum. Normally mantapa is used by devotees to meditate or do namaskaram - prostrating before the deity.
Temple does have prathakshana path (a circumambulatory path) to go round the deities in the sanctum after prayer. The inner part is accessed through four entrances from each cardinal direction.
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eli ka mandir ground planen.wikipedia.org
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Above image: Teli Ka Mandir, Gwalior. Look at the center of the plan. The sanctum has a rectangular plan, one of the few temples in the north to rectangular sanctum built on a Jaggati platform (raised surface)...............................................
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| .Teli Ka mandir, sanctum entrance.esamskriti.com |
Above image: Teli Ka Mandir Sanctum, Gwalior: The two river gods (devtas) with their attendants. Ganga on the right side on her mount makara. while Yamuna on the left side on her mount (Vahana) a turtle. The dwarapalas (sentinels) stand at the two ends. The devis which rise from heaven (the dark cell inside) give birth to and nurture new lives; while the dwarapalas stand as protectors warding of all evil and preventing contamination of the seed and embryo (garbha) of the temple...............................
The sanctum or garbagriha is the most important part any temple where the deity or deities are enshrined. A unique feature is the triratha (three rathas) sanctum has a rectangular plan that built on on a jagati platform (raised from the ground) and it has a large .kapili projecting portico of about 11 feet towards the east. The gopuram or tower rises about the rectangular sanctum to a height of 80 feet. This feature differs from south Indian temples with some exceptions where tall towers are built over the entrance way and not above the sanctim. Example Srirangam Ranganathat temple.. Above the tower it is a barrel vault shaped cap of 30 feet, more or less similar to South Indian gopuram. Amalaka, ( a segmented or notched stone disk, usually with ridges on the rim, that sits on the top of a Hindu temple's shikhara) kalasha and other ornaments atop are missing. There are countless niches on the wall for stone images of deities, etc. The walls of temple has numerous niches for statues. But, now they are empty owing to damages. The niches are topped by tall pediments. The outer dimensions of the sanctum are 60 x40 feet with an 80 feet tower above the sanctum.
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Teli Ka mandir entrance with defaced images upload.wikimedia.org
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The temple entrance way that has male and female dwarapalas (in Shiva -Sakthi tradition) is accessible through a a flight of stairs and the ornate door way has sculptures of river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna. A rare feature is mithuna - amorous couples in various stages of courtship and intimacy. Chaitya-hall style gavaksha ornamentation reminds one of the Buddhist designs.
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a structure close to Teli Ka mandir, Gwalior fort.upload.wikimedia.org
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As to the primary deity of this temple some historians say that it was not dedicated to all three tradition of Vaishnavism, Shivaism and Sakthism. Michael Meister, a professor specializing on Indian temple architecture postulates in the colonial era it would have been a Vishnu temple, later converted into Shiva temple. The temple may have actually started as a temple dedicated to the Matrikas (mother goddesses), but one that included the motifs of Vaishnanvism and Shaivism.
https://travelmelodies.com/temples-in-gwalior/
https://www.esamskriti.com/e/Culture/Indian-Culture/The-Doorway-to-the-Temple-Sanctum~Understanding-the-sculptures-and-motifs--1.aspx
