Breathtaking ruins

Specimens of Abhaneri art have found a place of pride in several museums. An intricately carved door lintel of a subsidiary shrine found there is a proud exhibit at the National Museum,Delhi. Several art pieces have been placed in the state government-owned museums at Amber and Hawa Mahal,
says Milap Chand Dandia.

ABOUT 80 km away from Jaipur on the Sikandara-Bandikui Road on National Highway No. 11 lies a little known but rare treasure of architectural art at Abhaneri. This Pratihar temple devoted to Goddess Durga, though mostly in ruins now, is an evidence of the splendid past of the Abhaneri region in which it dates back to some 1200 years from today. The countless stone slabs, statues, carved panels, pillars and idols of gods and goddesses strewn all around, and the remains of the once magnificent temple complex speak volumes about the splendour of the place and the richness of art which once existed there.

There is no historical record to tell as to who built the temple but archaeologists have said that the temple was built in the 8th century.

The multistorey edifice, when in full glory, had all the ingredients of a temple like the sanctum sanctorum, mandap, dome, etc.

Today, however, the temple is in ruins. Local residents say that as a result of the indifference of the authorities the temple had in fact once got buried under sand dunes. The temple was later restored after removing the sand by the Archaeological Depart-ment ofIndia. Whatever was recovered was breathtaking.

According to one account, though the original temple was built in the 8th century, the dome was built in the 12th century. The difference between the style of the dome and rest of the temple is quite evident.

The pillars are richly carved. The panels around the temple depict various amorous poses, musical instruments, fashion styles, clothes and jewellery in the most intricate manner, depicting minutest details. Unfortunately, however, most of the artistic pieces have been disfigured and subjected to vandalism. In absence of proper upkeep and regular maintenance, art pieces have become black.

Umpteen number of intricately carved pieces of stones, which once were part of the temple building, are today lying uncared for in the form of debris around the temple. Though the site is under the charge of the Archaeological Survey of India it has hardly made any serious effort for the protection of the monument and its remains.

Besides the treasure visible on the surface, expectations are that much more is still lying buried. This thought gets credence from the fact that during a recent excavation several large and small artistically carved panels, statues and other articles were recovered.

A former Director of Archaeology and Museums, Rajasthan, Ratan Chand Aggrawal, suggests that to save the wealth from vandalism the strewn pieces of carved stones pillars, panels and statues should be put together in the form which would be nearest to the original.

Dr Aggrawal says that the art work in the Abhaneri temple is in no way inferior to any art work anywhere in the country. He says that it is wrong to say that the panels showing amorous moods in Abhaneri temple are like the Khajuraho sculptures. In fact, it is the other way round. The Abhaneri sculptures might be the inspiration behind Khajuraho carvings. The Abhaneri temple is 200 years older than Khajuraho.

Specimens of Abhaneri art have found a place of pride in several museums.

An intricately carved door lintel of a subsidiary shrine found there is a proud exhibit at the National Museum at Delhi. Several art pieces have been placed in the state government-owned museums at Amber and Hawa Mahal, besides the personal museum of the Maharaja of Jaipur. Several art pieces have been stored in the ASImuseum at Abhaneri itself.