12 JYOTIRLINGA : SIROHI TEMPLES

Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple (Achalgarh), Mount Abu
Its Nandi, made of an alloy of five different metals..

A temple more than 2500 years old. It is the only place on earth where the great toe of Lord Shiva is worshiped, that is estimated to be going to the centre of the earth. It is the proud possessor of the glory of rich mythology, theology, folklore and even history. Miracles happened in its hallowed precincts. It is none other than the Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple! Its Nandi, made of an alloy of five different metals, is credited with the marvel of repulsing the Muslim invaders by releasing millions of bumble bees to attack the Muslim marauders. They were the lessons learned by those in charge to preserve and protect the sanctity of the pristine temple that they devised a very injurious, albeit ingenious method of camouflaging the prominence and the eminence of the great temple.

In the process the whole temple was covered under a layer of lime, thus covering the intricate, fine, filigree masterpiece work of the great artisans of the bygone era. The result was that the edifice looked like a very ordinary, insignificant structure. As luck would have it, the people who had tried to camouflage the whole building by covering it with lime got lost into the unfathomable pit of time and together with that the future generation forgot if there ever were brilliantly sculptured temples under the dull, drab, dreary layers of lime.

Mercifully, then the Yuvraj of Sirohi State somewhere in 1979, and chanced upon something looking like marble under a layer of lime, while he was taking his royal visitors around the lime layered temples.

The dexterous state artisans set down in earnest to restore the great temple to their pristine splendor, under the gifted guidance of the proficient prince. At first the cleaning and the removing of the lime insult was done with extreme precaution. Layer after layer the great glory of the temples was being revealed. The pristine, intricate marble poems were being exposed and read with passionate reverence and awe. As the celestial work was being uncovered, utmost caution was taken to prevent any disfiguration to the ancient grandeur of the temples.

At all sites each column was warily detached. Painstakingly, it was repaired and refurbished, closest to its original glory and then with the same utmost care replaced on its own pillar in its true order. This could be abundantly observed at the Nandi corral.

The sanctum sanctorum was found to be built not with bricks or slabs of marble but with blocks of marble. As the cleaning was done a walking space was revealed between the exterior of the sanctum sanctorum and a jacket like walk outside it. It was a gallery like space meant for a walk round the temple termed parikrama. Amazingly, beautifully sculptured statues of Chamunda were found in a beautiful alcove on two of the walls, the rear and the left ones. They were smeared with vermillion, indicating they were then regularly worshiped in those halcyon days.

The Dashaavtar Temple left all the visitors spellbound. The canopy of the entrance had restored statues in various dance forms. The restoration was unnoticeable by even a trained eye. The restitution left all and sundry awestruck. Save and except one of the limbs of one of the statues, all other repaired limbs looked as the part of the primary creation. The one that could be noticed is an isolated example, was due to the different quality of marble, intentionally used to observe the difference.

Achalgarh (8 kms): Surrounded by massive battlement walls and located at the top of a mountain peak is the 15th century fort of Achalgarh that was commissioned by Rana Kumbha. Enclosed within the fort are some beautiful Jain temples and the 9th century temple of Achleshwar whose claim to fame is its 4 ton panchdhatuidol of Nandi (made of gold, silver, copper, brass and zinc). A pit that is said to reach to the netherworld and a scenic lake known as the Mandakini lake are located nearby.