Bhojpur Shiv Temple Near Bhopal Stock Photography

Bhojeshwar TempleKnown as Somnath of the East, Bhojpur Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Located on the banks of the Vetraveti River in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, the temple gets its name from King Bhoj who once ruled the area surrounding the temple.Also known as Bhojeshwar Temple, it was built atop a hill in Bhojpur village. The Shivling and the temple were commissioned by Raja Bhoj between 1010 and 1053 AD. However, the temple was never completed.The stone Shivling is 7.5 ft tall and stands on a platform 21 ft tall. The Shivling has a circumference of about 18 ft. The Shivling is the largest stone structure carved out of a single rock in the world and also believed to be the tallest Shivling in a temple. To facilitate devotees from performing rituals, the Shivling is accessed by an iron staircase.Also known as Somnath, the temple is of great importance due to the huge idol of Lord Shiva. The temple is under the Archaeological Survey of India.King Bhoj founded the Bhojpur village in the early years of the medieval period and commissioned the beautiful Shiva temple. The temple has been a major reason for making the town of Bhojpur famous in the region. There is also a giant dam near the temple that can be seen from the temple.Built in accordance to Vastu Shastra, the temple’s entrance has an arch. It is also believed that the temple was the first structure to have an arch. Locals believe, the temple was built by the Pandavs to worship Kunti, their mother.