Historical Geography of Ancient India c10.201

c10.201

This place has been referred to by the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang who says that there were a number of monasteries and about ten temples in this village. There is a colossal Buddha image inscribed with the usual creed in characters of the 7th or 8th century A.D. Its importance lies solely in its magnificent series of temples, which fall into three main groups: the western, northern, and south-eastern. The western group consists mainly of Brahmanical temples, both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava. The northern group contains one large and some small temples, all Vaiṣṇava. The south-eastern group consists mainly of Jaina temples. Almost all the temples are constructed of sandstone and are in the same style. The oldest temple in the western group is the Caunsaṭ Yoginī. The temple of Kandarya Mahādeva is the finest. (For further details, vide B. C. Law, Holy Places of India, pp. 34-37).