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 Founded
by the legendary Parmar King of Dhar, Raja Bhoj (1010-1053), and named
after him, Bhojpur, 28 km from Bhopal, is renowned for the remains of
its magnificent Shiva temple and Cyclopean dam.
The temple which has
earned the nomenclature of the Somnath of the east, is known as the
Bhojeshwar Temple. The temple was never completed and the earthen ramp
used to raise it to dome-level still stands. Had it been completed, it
would have had very few rivals. As it is, even with the ravages of time,
it remains one of the best examples of temple architecture of the 11th -
13th centuries.
The lingam in the sanctum rises to an
awe-inspiring height of 7.5 feet with a circumference of 17.8 feet. Set
upon a massive platform 21.5 feet square, and composed of three
superimposed limestone blocks, the architectural harmony of lingam and
platform creates a superb synthesis of solidity and lightness.
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