The history of the unfinished Bhojpur temple Bhopal

The otherwise nondescript town of Bhojpur in Madhya Pradesh is famous for the Bhojeshwar temple (or Bhojpur temple, Bhopal) built by Raja Bhoj of the Paramara dynasty in Central India. Remember that famous Hindi phrase “Kaha Raja Bhoj, aur kaha Gangu Telli”? Yes, the same Rajput king! He also founded the city of Bhopal.

An Idol to look upto

According to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Bhojpur temple has one of the tallest and grandest Shiva Lingams in India, built out of a single rock. How on earth would craftsman pull off such complex acts during that era is beyond me!

The Bhojeswar temple is a commanding structure, mesmerising even….and one of the prettiest temples I have seen in India. It’s quite an accomplishment considering this temple is unfinished till date.

Bhojeshwar temple-shiva lingam-Bhojpur temple bhopal

Craning my neck to see the tallest Shiva Lingam

Built in a day

Raja Bhoj built the Bhojeshwar temple around 1010-1055 AD but never completed it. Some say he shifted his focus and resources towards the Somnath temple that was being attacked by Mahmud of Ghazni…and then he passed away before he could complete the construction of this one. Others say that he wanted to build this temple in one day and so it remained incomplete after the day’s work. The latter, I highly doubt… but the locals are quite enthusiastic when they narrate this built-in-a-day story.

Perched on a small hillock with the quiet Betwa River on one side, the Bhojpur temple makes for a spectacular view. Vast wheat fields add a soothing golden colour to the landscape.

Bhojeshwar temple in Bhojpur - Madhya Pradesh

A Hindu temple that looks Greek

We walked along a curvy road leading to the Bhojpur temple and stood awestruck on getting the first full glimpse of the imposing structure from afar. It looked stunning…more Greek than Hindu, I would say.

Except for the front façade, the three walls were plain with no work. The façade had idols of mythical goddesses. Four huge pillars supported the internal dome that had beautiful floral carvings including an inverted lotus shaped ceiling. Apparently, the ceiling was destroyed many years ago but the ASI restored it using fiber glass to give it an original resemblance.

We approached the sanctum sanctorum and saw a towering 22 feet polished Shiva Linga on a three level stone Yoni Patta. I got down to the ground level and did a Parikrama of the idol.

Bhojeshwar temple

Bhojeshwar temple Yakshini
Sculpture of a Yakshini or mythical goddess on the front wall of the temple

The temple was surprisingly empty for a Sunday evening. But the monkeys made up for the crowd. It was sheer joy watching these animals mingle with humans for food, jumping off trees and sitting alongside idols.

The weather was pleasant and the rain gods were on my side. Cool breeze gently hit our faces and there was a light drizzle too. I can’t imagine visiting Bhojpur on a sunny afternoon with no shade of green in the near vicinity. Our feet would have toasted, as tourists have to remove their shoes at the entrance before stepping in the temple premises.
Bhojeshwar temple-shiva lingam-Bhojpur temple bhopal

Getting here and other things to know about Bhojpur temple Bhopal

  • Keep Bhopal as your base and do a day trip to Bhojpur, 35 km away.
  • You can club your visit to Bhojpur with the Bhimbetka Caves – another UNESCO World heritage monument, 25km away.
  • It would be a good idea to hire a private car for convenience sake as local transport is unreliable.
  • There are plenty of snack counters outside the Bhojpur temple but none that offer proper meals.
  • The remains of Raja Bhoj’s Palace and the Parvati cave ruins are within the complex at a short distance from the temple. We skipped this. Do check it out if you have time and if the weather doesn’t get to you.
  • If you’re comfortable with large crowd, Mahashivratri should be a great time to visit this temple.
Bhojeshwar temple-shiva lingam
Shiva Lingam at Bhojeshwar temple-

Where to stay in Bhopal

I stayed at the lovely Jehan Numa Retreat in Bhopal on the periphery of the Van Vihar zoo. For a royal experience, check out the Jehan Numa Palace hotel, a heritage palace converted into a luxury hotel right in the heart of the city.

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0 thoughts on “The history of the unfinished Bhojpur temple Bhopal

  1. It’s a brilliant content that you have wrote.. I’m not only amazed but feel educated too..
    Keeps up the good work. (Y)

  2. If it looks this massive and beautiful when its unfinished, how beautiful it would have looked if completed. I just loved its entrance and the massive doors. Truly royal making you feel like you are entering a place which filled with energy and power. Good share. Keep travelling.

  3. Indian temples are never about their architecture. It is not given as much importance as the legends and stories surrounding a place or a monument.
    If you take Babarnama, the autobiography of Babar, he was not impressed of Indian monuments like many of Mughal emperors.
    The Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro culture was called as “not impressive” by the British/European historians as it lacked structures like Pyramids or the grand structures in ancient Mesopotamia. This is the same culture from which today’s India got shaped. Till today India is a country of legends and stories. I think thoughts behind a particular structure are more interesting than the structure itself.

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