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Chhattisgarh, a 21st century state, is home to many ancient temples.
Tanushree Podder Temples and sculptures are a part of culture of Chhattisgarh, as much as Teejan Bai’s Pandvani. Some of the remarkable temples of India are situated here.
One of the most important temple complexes stands in a place called the Prayag of Chhattisgarh. Rajim, the temple town, has earned this sobriquet because it is located near the confluence of three rivers – Pairi, Sondur and the Mahanadi. Though most temple towns are infamous for the bullying pandits but surprisingly there are no pujaris or pandits here unlike at Hardwar, Puri and Kalighat. The town a number of temples dedicated to various deities. These temples belong to different eras; most of them were either constructed in the 8th century or the 14th century AD. Of these the most famous is the Rajiv Lochan temple complex, built in the 8th century. This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. There are intricate stone carvings all around the complex – a reflection of the art that flourished in the post-Gupta period, in the region. There are many remarkable similarities in the construction and sculptures at temples here with those at Khajuraho and Konark. The beautiful sculptures of Vamana, Trivikrama, and Narasimha are quite impressive to the eye. The massive doorframe has a sleeping figure of Vishnu placed, with his attendants surrounding him, on its lintel. It is perhaps one of the most exquisite doorways in the world. Life-size figures of amorous couples, flower bearers and decorate the pillars supporting the mandapam of the Ramachandra Temple, which stands next to the Rajiv Lochan temple. Jewellery pieces and hairstyles are painstakingly detailed on most statues. The trends of ancient days can be studied on the sculptures scattered around the temple complex. The temple has many small temples inside the complex, including Rajim Telin Bhaktin Mata Mandir, Sri Jagannath mandir, Lord Shiva temple, etc. According to an ancient lore, a woman, who made her living by selling oil, decided to build a temple for lord Vishnu but she was worried that none would visit a temple made by a telin. But lord Vishnu assured her that her temple would be the first one in the complex and everyone would have to cross it to visit the Rajiv Lochan temple, which was more opulent.
Another legend about Rajim is that it is situated on a lotus and is also known as Panchkashi as it has five shivalingams in the different temples. Every full moon night there is some celebration or other at the temple complex. Devotees carry a gigantic pole decorated with colourful ribbons and festoons. Accompanied by loud beating of drums and pipes they carry it the bank of the rivers and plant it on the hot sands. This is called the ‘madai’ that announces the beginning of a festive fair. On a tiny island, right in the midst of the converging rivers there is the ninth century Kuleshwar temple. It is said that the temple becomes unapproachable during the monsoon when the rivers are in spate. As hundreds of devotees queue up for darshan, drumbeats reverberate from one end of the bank where some people are dancing. Festivities and revelry are part of worship in this Prayag of Chhattisgarh as Rajim, the town that has been named after Rajim telin, is also known as.
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Rajiv
Lochan temple has several unique features. Unlike other temples in the
country only kshatriyas were employed as pujaris. The
idol of the temple deity, Lord Vishnu, is made in beautiful black
granite and attired in unstitched garments. The turban on the idol is
woven by a family that has done so for many generations.
Interestingly, idol of lord Vishnu at the Rajiv Lochan temple is
dressed up differently during the day to represent different phases of
life. He is dressed like a child in the morning, a youth in the
afternoon and as an old man in the evening.