Kakanmath
{{Short description|A Pratihara-style panchayatana Shiva temple complex (1000–1025 CE)}}
{{Infobox religious building
| name = Kakanmath
| native_name = ककनमठ
| native_name_lang = sa
| image = Kakan Math.jpg
| caption = Kakanmath in 2015
| map_type = India Madhya Pradesh#India
| map_caption = Location in Madhya Pradesh, India
| location = Sihoniya
| coordinates = {{coord|26.5849309|78.2485567|region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| religious_affiliation = Shaivism
| deity = Shiva
| district = Morena
| state = Madhya Pradesh
| country = India
| established = 1015-1035 CE
}}
Kakanmaṭh is a ruined 11th century Shiva temple located at Sihoniya in Madhya Pradesh, India. It was built by the Kachchhapaghata ruler Kirttiraja. Only a part of the original temple complex now survives. Some of the sculptures from the site are now located at Gwalior.
History
The Kakanmath temple was commissioned by Kachchhapaghata ruler Kirttiraja (r. c. 1015-1035 CE).{{sfn|ASI Bhopal Kakanmath|2016}} This can be inferred from a Kachchhapaghata inscription found at the Sas-Bahu Temple in Gwalior. The inscription states that Kirttiraja built an extraordinary temple devoted to Parvati's lord (Shiva) at Siṁhapānīya (modern Sihoniya).{{sfn|Michael Architecture|1996|pp=13-32}}{{sfn|Harihar Vitthal Trivedi|1991|p=542}}
According to a folk legend, the temple was named "Kakanmadh" after Kakanavati or Kakanade, who was the queen of one Surajpala. The historicity of this legend is doubtful. One possibility is that the name of the temple derives from the kanak (gold) and maṭha (shrine).{{sfn|R. K. Sharma|Ramesh Chandra Agrawal|1995|p=251}}
Originally, the site had a temple complex, with a central temple surrounded by four subsidiary shrines. Only the ruins of the central temple stand now: its outer walls, balconies and a part of its spire have fallen. This damage probably happened during an earthquake.{{sfn|Michael Architecture|1996|p=16}} A Sanskrit-language pillar inscription dated 1[4]50 VS (1393-94 CE) records the renovation of the Mahadeva temple (that is, Kakanmath) by one Durgaprasada.{{sfn|Michael Inscriptions|1996|p=27}} A 1497 VS (1440-41 CE) pillar inscription records the visit of a pilgrim named Dekhana during the reign of Dungara (a Tomara ruler of Gwalior). It states that Dekhana was the son of Kakaka, and a resident of Nalapuragaḍha.{{sfn|Michael Inscriptions|1996|p=30}}
Now, the temple has been classified as a Monument of National Importance by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).{{sfn|ASI MP List|2016}}
Architecture
File:Kakanmath Temple, Morena.jpg
File:Mythological statue guarding Gujari Mahal.JPG
The temple stands on an ornate base (pitha). The building includes a sanctum, a vestibule, and two halls (gudha-mandapa and mukha-mandapa). The sanctum has a circumambulatory path with three transepts. The gudha-mandapa has lateral transepts, and four clusters of pillars; each cluster contains four pillars. The vestibule has four pillars in a row, which are aligned with the four clusters of the gudha-mandapa. The shikhara (tower) of the shrine makes it around 30 m high.{{sfn|ASI Bhopal Kakanmath|2016}}
The steps at the entrance had two large lion statues, which are now located at the entrance of the Archaeological Museum, Gwalior. Many other sculptures have also been taken to Gwalior.{{sfn|Michael Architecture|1996|p=16}}
References
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= Bibliography =
{{commons category}}
{{ref begin}}
- {{cite web |publisher=Archaeological Survey of India, Bhopal Circle |title=Kakanmath Temple |url=http://www.asibhopal.nic.in/monument/morena_suhania_kakanmathtemple.html |access-date=2016-11-16 |ref={{harvid|ASI Bhopal Kakanmath|2016}} }}
- {{cite web |publisher=Archaeological Survey of India, Bhopal Circle |title=Alphabetical List of Monuments - Madhya Pradesh |url=http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_mp.asp |access-date=2016-11-16 |ref={{harvid|ASI MP List|2016}} |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161102195954/http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_mp.asp |archive-date=2016-11-02 |url-status=dead }}
- {{cite book |author=Harihar Vitthal Trivedi |title=Inscriptions of the Paramāras (Part 2) |series=Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum Volume VII: Inscriptions of the Paramāras, Chandēllas, Kachchapaghātas, and two minor dynasties |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8B4LAQAAMAAJ |year=1991 |publisher=Archaeological Survey of India }}
- {{cite journal |author=Michael D. Willis |title=Architecture in Central India under the Kacchapaghata Rulers |journal=South Asian Studies |volume=12 |issue=1 |year=1996 |pages=13–32 |ref={{harvid|Michael Architecture|1996}} |doi=10.1080/02666030.1996.9628506 |url=https://zenodo.org/record/4264424 }}
- {{cite book |author=Michael D. Willis |title=Inscriptions of Gopakṣetra: materials for the history of Central India |publisher=British Museum Press |year=1996 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jl5mAAAAMAAJ |ref={{harvid|Michael Inscriptions|1996}} |isbn=9780714114750 }}
- {{cite book |author1=R. K. Sharma |author2=Ramesh Chandra Agrawal |title=Kr̥ṣṇa-smr̥ti: Studies in Indian Art and Archaeology |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5Rp_wtgqCbMC |publisher=Aryan Books |year=1995 |isbn=9788173050558 }}
{{ref end}}
Category:Tourist attractions in Morena district