The group of four ancient temples

About this monument

The Begunia group consists of four temples. Smallest and oldest of them is the Siddhesvara. All of them are built in sandstone, querried locally. They belong to the nagara style having a cruciform plan and a curvilinear sikhara. The Siddhesvara temple is unusual in having the amalaka sila on top of the sikhara edged by concave ribs, which feature is common in central and western India, instead of the convex ribs common in eastern India. Another interesting feature of the temple is the presence of a Lakulisa image within a projected gable at the base of the façade. The temple was once provided with a mandapa hall which collapsed long ago and a modern hall was constructed in its place. The architectural features of the temple suggests for its date not earlier than the 10th century A.D. Three other temples are of the identical type having a cruciform plan and a tall nearly perpendicular sikhara with ridged body. Two of them are facing east and the third one behind them is turned to the west. The two east facing temples are similar in almost every detail. In their respective sanctum chamber is installed the holy lingam. The temple standing to the south of the other has an inscription on the doorjamb which informs that he temple was erected by the wife of King Harischandra in 1462 A.D. On the rear wall of the sanctum is carved an image of Ganesa for which the temple is named after the deity. The other temple by its northern side has an image of buffalo-slaying Durga. Hence it is known as the Durga temple. The third temple is the tallest of the group and in general has likeness with the others. Significantly, its sanctum chamber enshrines five lingas.

Site plan

Site plan from the ASI Inventory of Monuments and Sites of National Importance, Vol. VII Part IV, Kolkata Circle (2015).

Photographs