Pratapeshwar Temple/प्रतापेश्वर मंदिर, Unnamed Road, Sevagram, Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh.

The visit to this Pratapeshwar Temple, one of the UNESCO, World Heritage Sites, Khajuraho, was a part of the “Bhopal, Udayagiri Rock Cut Caves, Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, Sanchi, Bhojpur, and Khajuraho – of Madhya Pradesh Heritage Walk” organized by the எண்திசை வரலாற்று மரபுநடைக்குழு, between 25^th and 28^th December 2024.

The temple complex of Khajuraho is classified into three groups: Western, Eastern, and Southern Groups of Temples. The temples Chausath Yogini and the Lalguan Mahadeva are exempted from the above three groups since they are farthest away.

Western Group is the largest and most important. The temples in this group are dedicated to Shiva, Ma Parvati, Jagathambi, and Maha Vishnu. The Western Group consists of the following temples.

Lakshmana Temple

Varaha Temple

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

Devi Jagadambi Temple

Parvati Temple

Chitragupta Temple

Pratapeshwar Temple

Vishwanath Temple with Rishaba Shrine

Matangeshwar Temple

PRATAPESHWAR TEMPLE (1784 to 1854 CE).

This temple faces east, on the left side of the Sri Viswanatha Temple. This is the 18^th Century Temple of Khajuraho, a Western group of temples. The temple looks more like a Mosque than a Chandella architectural style. The temple walls are simple without ornaments and sculptures like other temples of Khajuraho.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple is a specimen of medieval architectural style having few characteristics of Chandella art. It is raised on a high platform consisting of a Mukha mandapa (entrance porch), sabha mandapa (main hall), and Sanctum Sanctorum. The sanctum enshrines a small Shiva Linga on yoni-pitha. The Vedibandha lacks any ornamentation on elevation, while the jangha portion contains niches without enshrining the sculptures.

The shikhara of mandapa, sabha mandapa, and garbhagriha discriminate against each other in designs. The mandapa has a dome-like shikhara, preceded by two miniature domes at the frontal corners. The sabha mandapa sikhara is pyramidal, surmounted with a small amalaka and kalasha. The garbhagriha has a shikhara of the Nagara pattern diminishing towards the top and is topped by an amlaka and kalasha comparatively larger than the shikhara of Sabha Mandapa. The main shikhara is surrounded by miniature shikharas.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

This temple is assignable between 1784 and 1854 CE during the reign of King Pratap Singh of Chhatarpur state, after whose name the temple was named Pratapeshwar temple.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---