Bhitargaon is a town in Kanpur district

Kanpur District

Kanpur district is one of the districts of the Uttar Pradesh state of India. It is a part of Kanpur division and its district headquarters is Kanpur. Due to increase in population of Kanpur District, for proper administration it has been divided into two. The term Kanpur refers to the combination...

, Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

, India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, known for its ancient Hindu temple

Hindu temple

A Mandir, Devalayam, Devasthanam, or a Hindu temple is a place of worship for followers of Hinduism...

.

Bhitargaon Temple

The Bhitargaon Temple is a terraced

Terrace (building)

A terrace is an outdoor, occupiable extension of a building above ground level. Although its physical characteristics may vary to a great degree, a terrace will generally be larger than a balcony and will have an "open-top" facing the sky...

 brick building fronted with a terracotta panel. Built in the 6th century during the Gupta Empire

Gupta Empire

The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed approximately from 320 to 550 CE and covered much of the Indian Subcontinent. Founded by Maharaja Sri-Gupta, the dynasty was the model of a classical civilization. The peace and prosperity created under leadership of Guptas enabled the...

, it is the oldest remaining Hindu

Hindu

Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

 shrine with a roof and a high Sikhara

Sikhara

Śikhara, a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak", refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India. Sikhara over the sanctum sanctorum where the presiding deity is enshrined is the most prominent and visible part of a Hindu temple of North India.In south...

, though its upper chamber did sustain some damage in the 18th century.

Gallery

The construction material is bricks and terracotta. The brick size is 18"*9"*3" and the other salient features are following:

• The size of platform on which the temple is built is 36 feet*47 feet.
• The santum is 15 feet * 15 feet internally.
• The santum is double story.
• The wall thickness is 8 feet.
• The total height from ground to top is 68.25 feet.
• There is no window.
• The terracotta sculpture depicts both secular and religious theme such as deities like ganesha adi virah mahisasaurmardani and river goddess. Myths and stories representing abduction of sita and the penance of nara and naryan.
• Shikara is a stepped pyramid and got damaged by thunder in 1894.
• The first story of sanctum felled in 1850.
• Vaulted arch is used here for the first time any where in India.

External links

• Bhitargaon
• Bhitargaon temple
• Heritage and Tourism, Kanpur City Development Plan