A monolithic sandstone Shivling has been discovered in Vietnam’s Cham Temple Complex which is part of the My Son sanctuary in the Quang Nam province. The Shivling dates back to the 9th century and its excavation is a result of conservation efforts by the Archaeological Survey of India. The fully intact Shivling is part of a complex of Hindu temples which were constructed by the mighty Champa Empire between 4th century AD and 13th century AD in Vietnam. During the 4th to 13th centuries there was a unique culture on the coast of contemporary Vietnam, owing its spiritual origins to the Hinduism. The Hindu temples were constructed over ten centuries of continuous development in what was the heart of the ancestral homeland of the ruling Dua Clan which unified the Cham clans and established the kingdom of Champapura (Sanskrit for City of the Cham people) in 192 AD During the 4th to 13th centuries CE this unique culture, on the coast of contemporary Vietnam, owed its spir...

A wonderful sculpture of Sri Krishna is found on the ceiling of Harihareshwar. Sri Krishna has only one face but five bodies in different positions. When we look at each body we will feel that the face is of that particular body. Harihareshwar Temple at Kudal is about 40km South of Solapur, on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border off the Bijapur highway. Nearest important town is Takali, about 10 km away. The temple of Harihareshwar (11th to 12th century AD) is of the Chalukyan Era. Currently it is a dilapidated condition. Some of the other important sculptures in the temple are Krishna with Gopis and Krishna with friends. There is also a heavy shivling in the Sangameshwar temple with 360 Shiva faces carved on the surface. Another temple in the vicinity is the 17th century Sangameshwar Temple.

Vaishnava Temple which is more than 1400 years old was recently discovered by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at Pipri in Siddharthnagar District in Uttar Pradesh. This ancient Vishnu Temple is older than Khajuraho and Puri temples.  Times of India writes   The temple belongs to 'later Gupta to early medieval period' which means that it could be 1200-1500 years old. In this way, the temple is older than the famous Khajuraho temples of MP and Temples of Bhubaneshwar and Puri which were built about 1,000 years ago (10th century AD). Siddharthnagar district is known for the ruins of the Shakya rulers at Piprahwa. Kapilvastu, where Buddha spent his early years, is also part of the district.  The site of excavation is Pipri, about 250 km from Lucknow . The clearance work began in December 2013 and ended by February 2014. However, the conclusions have been drawn by the ASI now. "The work is still under way. The site comprises several mounds. Some of them have a...

Believed to be of the Mauriyan Empire, an ancient temple dedicated to Goddess Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati was discovered by Archeological Survey of India (ASI) at Sita Bari Area of Rajim Town near Raipur in Chhattisgarh. India Times writes 9.65 metres long and 8.90 metres wide, the temple's walls are made of huge rocks, and span 1.04 meters abroad. 8 poles in the temple's central hall divide the temple into 4 verandas. Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati idols  murtis were found in the temple shrines. According to research, the temple was destroyed during 12th century flash floods. A series of houses, with 15 rooms each, are situated in front of the temple.

Ma Mundeshwari Temple in Kaimur District of Bihar was recently in news due to the planned renovation and restoration by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Newspaper reports suggested that Mundeshwari Temple was built in 108 A D. Since then rituals and worship have been taking place at the temple without a break. Thus making it the oldest functional temple in the world. The use of the term ‘oldest’ is a bit risky when talking about temples associated with Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism). Simply because no one has been able to clearly state how old Sanatana Dharma is. Say this temple is the oldest and immediately another person will be come with something much older. So the safest option is to say that Ma Mundeshwari Temple in Kaimur District of Bihar is one of the oldest Hindu temples in the world. Ma Mundeshwari Temple is situated atop the Kaimur Hill (608ft). The temple is in an octagonal shape. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple has an idol of Devi – Munde...

Step wells are an architectural wonder but what is even more intriguing are the sculptors on the step wells. Rani-ki-Vav, one of the most popular step wells, is now a UNESCO world heritage site. Times of India reports Rani-ki-Vav was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in June this year. But there are a very few scholars who have been able to interpret the monument — archaeologist Kirit Mankodi is one among them. He has seen the 11th century vav resurrect after being buried deep in a mound of silt in 1955. He has seen a handful of officials of Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI) arrange the sculptures in their place in these ruins through the 1960s and 1970s to the breathtaking beauty it is now. Mankodi was at LD Museum in the city to deliver a lecture on the stepwell and spoke about the little-known features of the famed vav. "Vishnu is the primary deity of the stepwell, and the sculptures are depictions of one of his many forms. This well had seven terraces, each ...

Kondapur Region in Medak District in Telangana in India was believed to be a Buddhist site. But new excavations conduction in the region suggests that Tantric worship was practiced here from the 3rd century BC to 3rd Century AD. The region was then under the Satavahana Kings. Digital Journal writes “Even though Satavahana kings were under the control of King Ashoka, who embraced Buddhism, they have also patronised Vedic religion,” said G. Maheswari, the Superintending Archaeologist of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Chennai Circle .  “A kaolin (lime and clay) image of a Brahmin, probably the Raja Guru, with a thick sacred thread, embracing the king, goes to show the status enjoyed by Brahmin priests. Presence of ‘pancha mathas’ and images of ‘Lajja Gowri’ clearly proves it is a Tantric cult site, where the goddess of fertility was worshipped,” said Ms. Maheswari.  Ms. Maheshwari also pointed to the presence of Images of nude women adorned with jewel...

 Badami in Karnataka and Ajanta-Ellora in Maharashtra are two of India's most significant historical and cultural landmarks. Both are known for their ancient rock-cut architecture and are a testament to the artistic and architectural prowess of early Indian civilizations. Despite their similarities, these sites also exhibit notable differences in terms of their origins, dynastic influences, architectural styles, and their current status. Historical Background Badami, Karnataka Location : Badami, also known as Vatapi, is located in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka. Age and Era : The Badami cave temples were constructed in the 6th and 7th centuries CE during the rule of the Early Chalukya dynasty. Dynasty : The Chalukyas of Badami were instrumental in establishing a distinct architectural style that influenced subsequent South Indian temple architecture. Pulakeshin I was the founder of the Chalukya dynasty, and the caves were primarily patronized by Pulakeshin II. Ajanta-Ellora, Ma...

Located in Cambodia , Baphuon is an 11th-century temple built to honor Hindu God Shiva. Baphuon was in ruins – what was left was 300,000 of the sandstone blocks. None of the blocks were of the same dimensions. No mortar was used to fix the stones. This means like in a puzzle each stone had a proper place in the structure. Now the temple has been restored and is open to public. Baphuon Temple restoration was first started in 1960 but had to be stopped due to civil war and later the Khmer Rouge that came to power in 1975 destroyed all the documents related to restoration. The restoration was restarted in 1995 and was funded by the French Government – under the leadership of architect Pascal Royere from the Ecole francaise d'Extreme-Orient (EFEO). Built around 1060 by King Udayadityavarman II in honour of the Hindu god Shiva, Baphuon is 35 meters high (114 feet) and measuring 130 by 104 meters (426 x 340 feet). Mysinchew reports   The story of the 10-million-euro ($14m) renov...

A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Mamallapuram Temples, earlier known as Mahabalipuram, is located along the  Coromandel Coast  in Tamil Nadu. The monuments are under constant from the sea and salt. Salt particles settling down in crystalline and hydrated forms are a constant threat to the monuments. To overcome this unique problem, the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) is using a unique method of conservation - Osmosis. A pulp mix made using bloating paper is used to remove the saline particles. The pulp absorbs the water and the salt gets collected on blotting papers. Deccan Herald reports As one heading ASI experts team in cleaning and preserving techniques, Rana told ‘Deccan Herald’, when reached over phone on the work going on at Mamallap­uram, that the main problem faced there in protecting the ‘Shore Temple’ and other structures was due to “salt spray from the sea”. Salt particles settling down in crystalline and hydrated forms is “very dange­rous to the stru...

Kailasanathar Temple at Uthiramerur in Tamil Nadu is believed to be more than 1,250 years old. The temple dedicated to Shiva had developed serious cracks and was restored by REACH Foundation. Rural Education and Conservation of Heritage (REACH) is involved in the restoration and preservation of the sculptural heritage of India. They have successfully restored numerous ancient temples in Tamil Nadu.  BBC news reports "It was about to collapse completely and there were so many conservation problems because of the growth of thick vegetation on the Vimana or dome of the temple," Dr Sathyamurthy of REACH told the BBC Tamil Service. While the upper part of the temple was in bad shape, the basement and plinth had other serious issues with cracks at more than 20 places in the granite stones according to the archaeologist. Faced with serious technical problems the REACH team turned for advice to the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M) a premier engineering institute in Indi...

Built in 1010 AD by Raja Raja Chola, the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, popularly known as Big Temple , is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Government, Archeological Survey of India, and the people of Tanjavur are getting ready to mark the 1,000 years of Brihadeeswara Temple – poetry in stone. Times of India reports "A committee will be formed to plan events for the celebration. Besides cleaning up the temple, we are planning to beautify the entire city. The encroachments near the temple will be removed," said collector MS Shanmugam. The Archaeological Survey of India that maintains the temple has just completed restoration of the northern corridor. The floor had sunk, unable to bear the weight of the stone pillars and ceiling. The ASI took up restoration work in 2006 and completed it at a cost of Rs 63 lakh. Landscaping is also being done in the precincts of the temple. "More grass instead of brick will reduce heat generation,...

The Gobind Sagar Lake on Sutlej River in Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh was created after the construction of the Bhakra Dam in 1960s. As a result of the Bhakra Dam reservoir, 28 temples submerged into the water. Of the 28 submerged temples, 12 were of great archaeological importance belonging to 8th and 19th century AD period. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has now declared the 12 submerged temples as monuments of National Importance and will be relocated. …Centre respected the sentiments of displaced people during the Nagarjuna sagar and Narmada valley projects and the same should be done in the state. The chief minister said the locals had allowed submersion of their temples to pave the way for the completion of first hydro electric power plant of the country in 1963. ( The Hindu ) Many of the submerged temples in Gobind Sagar Lake at Bhakra Dam are partially visible when the water recedes during winter and early summer in Himachal Pradesh. Nagara style te...

Underwater search for Lord Krishna’s Dwarka on Gujarat coast on the west coast of India is an ongoing process and occasionally Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) comes with vital clues regarding the existence of an ancient city , which was swallowed by sea. A new book titled ‘Underwater Archaeology of Dwarka and Somnath’ by National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, India, details the scientific analysis of systematic explorations carried out in Dwarka and Somnath. The book is writeen by A.S.Gaur, Sundaresh and K.H.Vora and they have published several other research papers on the same topic. Epic Mahabharata mentions about the phenomenon of sea level rising and the total destruction of Dwarka as predicted by Lord Krishna. Many people scoffed it as wild imagination and fiction. But today sea level rising and swallowing land is a common phenomenon and it is happening around the world. Once oceanography accepted sea level rising as a fact, large-scale excavations have been taking pl...

Each sculpture adorning the famed towers of Madurai Meenakshi Temple Tower is to be photographed and digitally stored. The nine towers have thousands of sculptures and the digital pictures will help in restoration works and will be a great asset for future. The digital photograph of each sculpture is being shot in such a way that no minute details are missed – including position, facial expressions, dress, ornaments and other unique features. Such a vast collection of pictures of the tower sculptures will be a great help for future restoration works and for history and architecture studies. Pictures of select sculptures that have been already photographed are on display inside the temple complex. It is quite impossible to have a clear view of all the tower sculptures from ground level. The digital pictures are surely going to be a great help to visitors. Hope, the temple authorities will display some pictures online too.(via)

The people in Jaljali Village near Mangaldai Town in Assam always believed that the pond (Jaljali tank) in their village was holy. Villagers always equated the water in the pond to that of Ganga . And recently when the pond was cleaned, out came idols and sculptures of a Vishnu and Shiva temple. Villagers are elated at the discovery as it confirms their age-old belief regarding the sanctity of the Jaljali tank. They have started worshipping the idols. In fact, the village is already being frequented by thousands of people from nearby districts. Archeologists are of the view that the temples relics are dated to 10th or 11th century AD. It is being concluded that an earthquake might have destroyed the temple and buried it. The temple bears the stamp of the Indo Aryan style of architecture and was lying for centuries under water. Presently, there is a functional temple on the western banks of the Jaljali tank. The recently excavated idols and sculptures are placed he...

The Sun Temple at Konark is a UNESCO World Heritage site but numerous reports suggest that Konark is crumbling. The villain seems to be the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which incidentally has invited a global tender to preserve the sun temple. Konark Suraksha Samiti, an organization fighting for the cause of Konark, feels ASI has done more damage to the structure than the Muslim invaders who mutilated and tore down the structure. Orissa State Government too has similar views. But according to ASI the saline wind from the nearby Bay of Bengal is responsible for the crumbling. But the local people are not ready to buy this explanation as they point out other structures in the region, including the Puri Jagannath Temple , has not been damaged by saline wind. As the blame game continues, only one of the famous Wheels of Konark is intact. The rest of structures of the temple too are not in a healthy condition. The new global tender planned by the central g...

Satras are Vaishnavaite religious centers in Assam , India , and were founded mainly by saint and reformer Srimanta Sankardev and his disciples during the 15 th and 16 th century. These Vaishnavaite monasteries are noted for its collection of Assamese manuscripts, relics, sculptures and other artifacts. Large scale encroachment, neglect by the government administration and natural causes have nearly destroyed the Satras and numerous manuscripts in it. Biman Hazarika of Dhing College and New Delhi-based Bijoy Bhuyan are now on a mission to save the Satras of Assam. Biman Hazarika says ‘Till half a century ago, most of these satras were both culturally and academically rich. Our plan is to make the local villagers aware of the necessity of preserving the cultural and religious resources of these institutions.’ Hazarika said. The duo intend to cover seven Vaishnavite monasteries ( satras ) — Kubaikata, Ai Lakhi, Aibheti Nasatra, Salaguri Leteri, Bali , Kuji and Ali Pukhuri P...

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has found a wooden block at Dwarka, Gujarat, which can help in dating the structures found here. The wooden block was found in its original place at a depth of two to three meters near seashore. ASI's Underwater Archaeology Wing (UAW), which has been conducting excavations in the area, found this wooden block. Dwarka is associated with Lord Krishna and legend has it that the city was swallowed by sea when Krishna returned to heaven. From The Hindu Alok Tripathi, Superintending Archaeologist, UAW, who led the excavation, said: ‘The discovery of this wooden block is of great importance because these submerged stone structures are known for the past 40 years. But no material was available from these structures, which can be dated. Stones cannot be easily dated. Dates given earlier were based on different interpretations." The block, made of local beach wood, would be sent for carbon-14 dating and "it will give the fin...

An eighth century Shiva temple was unearthed at Nuagaon village in Dhenkanal District, Orissa. The temple was first noticed by the villagers of Nuagaon and they found idols of Lord Ganesh and Lord Muruga (Kartikeya) and sculptures of three-hooded snakes. Parts of temple structures were also found here. The villagers have placed the idols under nearby banyan trees and have started worshipping it. The idols are made of black granite stones and bear resemblance of traditional Orissan sculpture. Experts feel that findings might shed light on the civilization that existed here during the eighth century.