Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/M5jp1ascEEI
Hundred Pillar Temple at Bodhan Town in Nizamabad distict in Telengana, is a Rashtrakuta Era which is currently converted to Deval masjid.
As per one account:
The temple was built
during the reign of King Indra III in 10th century AD, and it was
renovated during the period of Kalyani chalukya king Someshvara, who since then
named it as “Indranarayana Swamy Temple”.
During AD 1325-1351, Muhammad bin Tughlaq, at the time of conquest
of the Deccan region, converted it into a mosque.
The plan of the temple is star-shaped, which
had later undergone slight alteration at the hands of Muslim rulers, except the
removal of the shrine-chamber and the setting up of a pulpit.
According to another account:
The temple was constructed in the late 12th or
early 13th century, during the reign of the Kakatiya kingdom,
in a plan similar to 1000 pillar temple at Hanamkonda near Warangal. According
to Ghulam Yazdani, it might have been a Buddhist or Jain temple
before being used as Hindu temple, based on the imagery of all three religions
being found in and around the temple. In the 14th century, the region was
invaded and taken over by Ulugh Khan, a general of the Delhi
Sultanate, who would later become its sultan. In
1323, Ulugh Khan encamped in Bodhan, and a
contemporary account by Abdul
Malik Isami mentions that he laid siege to the fort of Bodhan for
approximately two to three months. The report further states that the chief of
Bodhan surrendered, converted to Islam with
his family, and was granted amnesty.[3] The style of the
mosque does not correspond with other Tughluq architecture of the Deccan. Richard
M. Eaton posited that the chief of Bodhan converted the temple
into a mosque himself.
Architecture:
The temple had a star-shaped plan, and it was
composed of a garbhagriha (sanctum), antarala (antechamber), and mandapa (pillared hall). While the
sanctum and antechamber were converted into a prayer-hall, the pillared hall
remains almost completely intact, and serves as a pavilion leading up to the prayer-hall.
Twelve small domes, made out of brick, were added on the roof of
the pillared hall. The large number of domes is unusual for Tughluq mosques,
and were probably included in order to give the building a more Indo-Islamic appearance.
The pillared hall is divided into nine bays and contains porches in
the middle of its northern, eastern, and southern sides. It stands upon a plinth,
and is accessible by flights of steps with balustrades on
the northern and southern sides.
The prayer-hall is divided into
forty-five bays. The central bay is elaborately carved, and
images of Narasimha can be found at its four corners
The western wall was closed up using rubble.
A mihrab (prayer-niche) is carved into
the western wall, and a minbar (pulpit)
stands to its north.[6] The building is
surrounded by a wall built out of dressed stone, with four entrances facing the
four cardinal points.
How to Reach
·
By Air: The closest major
airport is Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) in Hyderabad, located
approximately 200 km away. From the airport, you can take a taxi or a TGSRTC
bus to Bodhan, which is about a 4-hour drive. [1,
2,
3,
4]
·
By Train: Bodhan (BDHN) has
its own railway station, well-connected via local trains from Nizamabad.
Alternatively, you can take a train to the major railhead at Nizamabad Junction
(NZB) and take a local taxi or bus the rest of the way. [1, 2]
·
By Road: Bodhan is
well-linked via state highways. Frequent TGSRTC buses operate from Hyderabad,
Nizamabad, and other neighboring districts directly to Bodhan Bus Stand. From
the Bodhan Bus Stand, the temple is just 1-2 km away and can be easily reached
via local auto-rickshaws.