A Guide To Tribhuvan Narayan Temple!

One of the most unique and beautiful temples in the Chittor fort, Rajasthan, India, Samadhishwara temple or the Tribhuvan Narayan Temple is an exemplary temple with the primary deity as Shiva in the form of Trimurti. As the temple is dedicated to Shiva, it is named after the Lord of Samadhi- Shiva, also known as Samadhishvara.

King Bhoja constructed the Tribhuvan Narayan Temple in the 11th century. Evidence suggests that although the temple was constructed in the 11th century, it was restored in the 13th and the 15th centuries. The Tribhuvan Narayan Mandir is also known as Smidheshwar Mahadev-Mokalji temple or the Mokalji temple by the locals. 

 Who constructed the temple?

Historian G H Ojha theorized that Paramara King Bhoja constructed the Tribhuvan Narayan Temple in the 11th century. He suggested this because the King is referred to in the 12th century Sanskrit text Gana-Rana Mahodadhi by a designation of ‘Tri-loka Narayan’. Here ‘Tri-loka Narayan’ stands synonymous with ‘Tri-Bhuvana’ and ‘Tri-Loka’. The historian further suggested that this temple built in the 111th century is presently known as the Samadhishvara temple. Therefore, whenever you ask yourself- who constructed Tribhuvan Narayan Temple? The answer is- Paramara King Bhoja.

King Bhoja was one of the most well-known monarchs of the Paramara dynasty. Mainly, his kingdom centered around the Malwa region in Central India. In an attempt to extend his kingdom, King Bhoja fought wars with almost all his neighbors. Eventually, he won some and was able to expand his kingdom from Chittor in the north to upper Konkan and from Sabarmati river to Vidisha in the east. The King who constructed Tribhuvan Narayan Temple is best known as an art, literature, and science contributor. King Bhoja is also known to have constructed numerous other Shiva temples.  

 History of the Tribhuvan Narayan Temple

Several theories suggest that the Tribhuvan Narayan Temple was also referred to as the Bhoja-svamin temple. Madana, from the Chirawa inscription of 1273, was an official who bore the designation talaraksha. He used to worship Shiva at this temple. A 1301 CE inscription suggests that the temple was also known as Bhoja-svamin-jagati. 

Madana is mentioned to have worshiped the Sadashiva aspect of Shiva that depicts Shiva having five faces and ten hands. But, the present-day idol at the Samadhishvara temple or the Tribhuvan Narayan Temple has only three faces and six hands. This discrepancy was explained by an art historian R Nath. He explained that the original idol got destroyed during the Khalji conquest. Therefore, the present-day idol is a relatively modern one and was restored in the 15th century by King Mokala-Simha. 

 Restoration of the Tribhuvan Narayan Temple

The ancient inscriptions suggest that the temple was restored numerous times. The inscription from 1150 CE records that with his donations, the Chaulukya King Kumarapala restored the temple as some Gujrati influence was noticed by R Nath in the temple’s architecture. 

A stone slab inscription from 1274 CE tells that the King Samarasimha of Guhila restored the area around the Tribhuvan Narayan Temple. The Achleshwar inscription from 1285 CE confirms the same. Then again, a black marble slab inscription from 1428 CE suggests that King Mokala-Simha restored the temple. The Kumbhalgarh prashasti of 1460 suggests the same. 

In 1460 CE, the Kriti-stambha prashasti inscribed the temple. Other two short inscriptions from 1442 CE and 1458 CE record the beauty of the architecture of the Tribhuvan Narayan Temple. 

In 1956, the temple was declared as the Government of India’s Archaeological Survey of India. 

 The beautiful architecture of Tribhuvan Narayan Temple

The Samadhishvara temple is known to be a mosaic of various architectural and artistic styles from varying centuries. The art historian R Nath even calls the temple a patchwork. Located in the Chittor fort of Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, this temple is well-known for the aura it created with its architecture for visitors. It is located at the Gaumukha Tirth Sthal and on the northern bank of the Gaumukh Kund reservoir. From the 11th to the 15 century, the temple was restored numerous times. Hence, it depicts varying sculptural styles. 

The temple is mainly based on the Nagara style of architecture. The present-day Tribhuvan Narayan Temple has a garbhagriha in the east, an antrala, and an entrance hall or the gudha-mandapa. The temple has three entrance porches, or the Mukha-chatishki, located on the northern, western, and southern sides. The sanctum or the garbhagriha is at the temple’s lower level and has six stairs descending from the antrala or the antechamber to the sanctum. 

 Conclusion

The Tribhuvan Narayan Temple is now known as the Samadhishvara temple located in the Chittor fort of Chittorgarh, Rajasthan. The history and architecture of this temple take us back to the art, religion, and culture of the 11th to 15th centuries. The temple has its principal deity as Shiva and has a three-faced idol of Shiva. Numerous inscriptions from ancient times suggest that the temple was destroyed several times in over five centuries and was restored by different kings. It explains the variation in the idol of Shiva in the Samadhishara temple and the Tribhuvan Narayan Temple.