01A temple town in rubble
In the Pratihara age this slope was crowded with shrines, most of them small square sanctums with a Nagara shikhar, a few larger. At some time, probably in an earthquake, nearly all fell. For centuries the site was a field of carved stones in the Chambal ravines. Alexander Cunningham noted it in the 19th century, but it lay in country where few went: dacoits ruled the ravines.
02Rebuilt by hand
From 2005 the ASI’s Bhopal circle under K.K. Muhammed began sorting the fallen stones and fitting them back, temple by temple, like a puzzle. The work went on with the tacit agreement of the dacoit gang of Nirbhay Singh Gujjar, who then held the area. About 80 temples stand again. The larger Shiva shrines at the top of the slope give the best view down over the rows of spires.
The life of this place
- 8th–10th centuriesThe temples are built.
- 2005 CE onwardASI begins rebuilding; about 80 temples restored.
About 35 km north of Gwalior; combine with Mitaoli and Padavali on one day.
