Bateshwar (Batesara, Bateśvar) Temple,
Padavli, Morena District, Madhya Pradesh, India- RohitKumar Parmar
Pic Ba-1 Majestic view of the restored temples, Bateshwar
The Bateshwar temples (or Batesara, Bateśvar), a group of around 200 sandstone temples, partly restored from ruins are spread over a 25 acres site in Madhya Pradesh. These are named after Bhuteshvar temple, the largest Siva temple at the site, mentioned in historical literature as Dharon or Paravali, later as Padavali. These temples built between 8th and 10th century are in Gurjara Pratihara style of North Indian temple architecture.
The temples are in almost all cases reconstructed from fallen pieces of stones by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). In 2005, ASI led by Superintending Archaeologist, K.K. Muhammed began an ambitious project to collect all the pieces, reassemble them, restoring 60 temples.
Markings of numbers on blocks on the restored temples testify efforts and evidence of restoration of the temples. (Pic Ba-2)
Pic Ba-2 Markings of numbers on blocks on the ASI restored temple, Bateshwar
There were several references of ‘massive mounds of rubble’ in the area. The reason for the destruction is neither clear nor documented. Alexander Cunningham (Army engineer with the Bengal Engineer Group) in 1882 mentioned a ‘collection of more than 100 temples to the southeast of Padavali’.
The Bateshwar complex is stated to be ‘built on the architectural principles enunciated in two Sanskrit Hindu temple architecture texts, Manasara Shilpa Shastra composed in the 4th century CE, and Mayamata Vastu Shastra written in the 7th century CE’. These texts were followed by the ASI team who collected pieces of ruins from the site and like a jigsaw puzzle put them back together. A group of the restored temples on a raised platform offer a majestic view. (Pic Ba-1) ASI should also document whether the platform was restored or built.
In today’s Information Technology (IT) enabled Artificial Intelligence (AI) environment, with several temples in India awaiting restoration, open source software compatible with mobiles, tablets and of course lap tops, could help to capture images and piece together components and would go a long way in restoring damaged temples. The software should also facilitate a virtual/ visual completion of the damaged part of the image or structure or sculpting, which has been done in the case of Bamiyan Buddhas. The virtual restored images after watermarking should be available on a central website of the ASI, accessible to all.
This IT based activity should be accompanied with students (in subjects like history, archaeology, art, culture, tourism) being requested to study, photograph and detail each image/ statute in the temples/structures, which details in addition to being displayed at the site, should also be available on a central website of the ASI, linked to all institutions on the subject across the globe. This could form an optional subject/paper/activity for students in select subjects. Similar steps could be done for damaged paintings also.
The temple is stated to have a relief of Garuda on top, suggesting a Vishnu temple also. This author also found images (Pic Ba-3) that also need to be documented.
Pic Ba-3 Image on a small temple, Bateshwar
The temples are stated to have sides made from single slabs, above which sat flat roofs then a pyramidal top as part of the architecture. This pattern of construction would have helped the restoration effort. (Pic Ba-4 and Pic Ba-5)
Pic Ba-4 Construction as single upright slabs, above which flat roofs and a pyramidal top would have facilitated restoration of temples. Side view, Bateshwar
Pic Ba-5 Construction as single upright slabs, above which flat roofs and a pyramidal top would have facilitated restoration of temples. Front view, Bateshwar
The site had a water tank cut into the hill rock, with rows of small temples arranged to form a street to the tank. (Pic Ba-6 and Pic Ba-7)
Pic Ba-6 Rows of small temples forming a street to water tank, Bateshwar
Pic Ba-7 Rows of small temples forming a street to water tank, Bateshwar
Cunningham reports of seeing Siva linga inside the temples are, visible in the following pics taken during the visit by this author. (Pic Ba-8 and Pic Ba-9)
Pic Ba-8 Siva lings in small temples, Bateshwar
Pic Ba-9 Siva lings in small temples, Bateshwar
The ASI teams identification and restoration efforts continue at the site. (Pic Ba-10, Pic Ba-11 and Pic Ba-12)
Pic Ba-10 Restoration efforts at the site, Bateshwar
Pic Ba-11 Restoration efforts at the site, Bateshwar
Pic Ba-12 Restoration efforts at the site, Bateshwar
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