File:0052023 Lakhamandal temple and ruins, Gupta era artwork, Uttarakhand 079.jpg

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English: Lakhamandal is one of the ancient religious sites in Uttarakhand on the banks of the Yamuna river. Hypethral brick edifice and structures from the Gupta era (5th to 6th century) along with ruins of temples and artwork from about the 8th to 12th century overlook the Yamuna valley embraced between central Himalayan mountains. Recent archaeological excavations suggest that the earliest surviving Lakhamandal monuments were likely built around the same time as Koteshwar site also in Uttarakhand. This is evidenced by the brick dimensions and composition which are the same for the two sites. Further evidence of its antiquity is evidenced by the bricks which have late Brahmi inscriptions in Sanskrit. In portions of the inscriptions that have survived, these invoke prayers from a line of ancient Indian kings to Shiva Pashupata.

The Lakhamandal temples and ruins include a terraced podium over a brick platform, a quadrangular pithika with a great linga, four pillar bases set within a square plan. The site also includes two rows of votive monuments that also follow the square plan principle of Hindu architecture. Much of the structure is lost, but the surviving structures suggest that the original complex had a terraced form with moldings and either mandapa or garbhagriya form. A slab found at the Lakhamandal site has a 23-verse Sanskrit inscription which states that a widowed princess of the Yadu line built a memorial for her husband Chandragupta along with an abode for Bhava. This prashasti inscription is also special as it mentions the composer to be a "scholar in Ayodhya" and the scribe to be a resident of Rauhitaka village.

The main temple and surviving portions of the Hindu artwork such as the dvarapalas are exquisite examples of Gupta age arts in Uttarakhand, though later vandalism such as chopped noses and chopped limbs distract their proper study.
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Source Own work
Author Ms Sarah Welch
Camera location30° 45′ 01.87″ N, 78° 05′ 16.2″ E Kartographer map based on OpenStreetMap.View this and other nearby images on: OpenStreetMapinfo

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20 May 2023

30°45'1.868"N, 78°5'16.199"E

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current18:47, 26 December 2023Thumbnail for version as of 18:47, 26 December 20234,624 × 3,468 (5.11 MB)Ms Sarah WelchUploaded own work with UploadWizard
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