Category:Baijnath Temple, Himachal Pradesh

From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository
Jump to navigation Jump to search
<nowiki>বৈজনাথ মন্দির; વૈજનાથ મંદિર; معبد بايجناث; ബൈജിനാഥ് ക്ഷേത്രം; Baijnath Temple, Himachal Pradesh; बैजनाथ मंदिर; బైజ్నాథ్ ఆలయం; ବୈଜନାଥ ମନ୍ଦିର; Baijnath Temple; Baijnath Temple; बैजनाथ मंदिर; பைஜ்நாத் கோயில்; నాగర దేవాలయాల శైలి నిర్మాణానికి చెందిన ఐకానోగ్రాఫిక్ ప్రాముఖ్యత కలిగిన శివాలయం; ভারতের একটি হিন্দু মন্দির; temple en Inde; ଭାରତର ଏକ ହିନ୍ଦୁ ମନ୍ଦିର; An early 13th century Shiva temple; معبد هندوسي في كانجرا، الهند; शिव मंदिर; இமாச்சலப் பிரதேசத்தில் உள்ள சிவன் கோயில்; Mahadeva temple, Baijnath; Vaidyanatha temple, Baijnath; Kirgrama Baijnath mandir</nowiki>
Baijnath Temple, Himachal Pradesh 
An early 13th century Shiva temple
Upload media
Instance of
LocationBaijnath, Himachal Pradesh, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, India
Maintained by
  • Archaeological Survey of India, Shimla circle
Heritage designation
Map32° 03′ 03.43″ N, 76° 38′ 43.89″ E
Authority file
Edit infobox data on Wikidata

The Baijnath temple is a late 12th to early 13th century Shiva temple in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. It is called the Vaidyanatha temple of Kirgrama in regional pre-16th century Sanskrit literature, which means a temple dedicated to the "Lord of Physicians". Two Sarada-script Sanskrit inscriptions attribute the temple to two Hindu merchant brothers named Manyuka and Ahuka. Some scholars suggest that this site is likely a 9th to 10th century Hindu tirtha site.

The Baijnath temple is a complex of shrines with the main west-facing stone temple that follows the Nagara architecture. In front are two Nandis. The seated Nandi is older, the standing Nandi is bigger and was added later. The main temple has a four pillar mukhamandapa, followed by a square mandapa. There are three cardinal entrances to the mandapa. Its walls and ceilings are carved with Hindu artwork. The garbhagriya has a square plan (8 sq ft interior, 18 sq ft exterior). This sanctum is dedicated to a Shiva linga. Outside on the vimana walls are Hindu artwork, with Surya on the east. Other Hindu deities on the outer walls include Brahma, Durga, Chamunda, Kartikeya, Gajalakshmi, Mahisasuramardini, Kalyanasundramurti, dancing Ganesha, Vishnu in different avataras, Harihara, Indra and Umamaheshwara. In addition to Hindu deities, a Jaina Tirthankara (likely Mahavira) is also reverentially included on the temple walls attesting to close relationship between Hindu and Jain traditions in the Himalayas.

The temple was damaged after the 14th-century, and extensively repaired by Raja Chand Katoch around 1786 AD, after the collapse of the Mughal Empire and after the British East India Company and the Sikh Empire came to power. These repairs introduced major changes to the roof and sections of the temple complex. Later, during the colonial era, some inscriptions and Hindu artwork from this temple were moved to Lahore museum, and these can no longer be found in Lahore or anywhere else.

This is a category about ASI monument number
N-HP-17.

Media in category "Baijnath Temple, Himachal Pradesh"

The following 91 files are in this category, out of 91 total.