Man has been a worshiper of nature since ancient times. While worshiping nature, he started worshiping some of its powers and from this, the concept of worshiping gods and goddesses was born. Initially, these deities were made of wood, clay, and sometimes of stone and were worshiped at home. But in later times, the idea of having a house of God like ours came to the human mind and from that, the concept of the temple was born. In Sanskrit, the word ‘Mandir’ means house, while in Marathi, the word Alay means house. This is the origin of the word (Dev + Alay = Devalaya) which means the house of God. In time, the word ‘Deul’ came into being. Many temples were built in India between the 8th and 13th centuries. According to ancient architecture, the main architectural style of construction of these temples was Nagar and Dravidian. ... Nagarshaili is the oldest style, with the apex being tapering at the top and slightly rounded from the outside. There is a part called Amalak on the top which is like an upside-down urn. Floors are built on top of the Dravidian style temple. This is called ‘Bhumi’. The apex of such temples is known as Gopura. The combination of these two styles gave rise to a third sub-genre called Wesar or Bhumij. The special feature of these temples is that the joints between two rocks of the wall of the temple are not joined with limestone, rather, they are interlocked with each other. Ancient temples are mainly divided into pillars, quadrangle structures, peaks, Antaral, sanctum sanctorum, prayer hall, and entrance. In Maharashtra,Ghrishneshwar, Ambernath, Gondeshwar, Deolane, Ambabai, Amruteshwar, Tahakari, Ambhai, Tuljapur, Trimbakeshwar, Kunkeshwar, and Bhuleshwar are some of the prominent temples of different styles. In Maharashtra, all these styles are known as Hemadpanthi Temple, named after Hemadpant, the chief of the Yadavas. All these temples have carvings of Apsara, Kirtimukh, Ganeshpatti, Yaksha, Vyal, Naag, Hatti, Surasundari, Puranic stories, and Dashavatara. Ashtadikapala and Navagraha got a place in the designs of the temple as man progressed further. As these temples have a tradition of maintaining knowledge and literature along with wealth, ancient manuscripts, letters, and printed texts can still be seen in some temples. The ancient temples of Maharashtra are the cultural heritage of Maharashtra. Since the temples in Maharashtra were mainly built during the reigns of the Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Yadavs, and Vijayanagar, these dynasties seem to have influenced the design and construction of these temples. Since most of these temples were built with donations from kings or merchants, they were built near the then capitals, trade routes, and markets. Apart from this, temples were also built in places considered sacred due to mythological references. Due to the use of local stones in the construction of temples, temples were built of black stone in the Sahyadri. The stone required for the construction of the temple was removed by digging a hole and then making a pond in place of the hole. Since there is no black stone in the Konkan, the temples here were built of red stones with a tiled roof. The Deepmal in the temple premises is a special feature of the Maharashtrian temple structure. A pillar of stone or brick is erected, on which U-shaped hands like structure is attached or carved. On some special occasions, the lamps on these structures are lit. Many temples were renovated during the reign of Rani Ahilya Devi Holkar. At this time, bricks and lime were used to rebuild the collapsed stone peaks in some places. While exploring Sahyadri, one can see cave temples like Marleshwar, Nageshwar, and Dhakbahiri along with the ancient temples. Apart from this, one can see some other magnificent temples like Deolane, Amruteshwar, Tahakari, Ambhai, Hottal, and Dharasur. Dumping of Hottal Village is a collection of beautiful idols. I have to mention here that people throw such beautiful idol which is their inheritance in the trash and then when it gets stolen, then go around and complain about it. These temples, which have been forgotten by the people as they fall in an unknown or very less popular region, should be visited regularly.
© Suresh Nimbalkar