SUN TEMPLE TIKAMNAGAR MP

The Sun temple was built by Pratihara rulers in the 9th century A.D. The east-facing temple is raised on a high platform. The ground plan consists of garbhagriha, antaral and maha-mandapa based on two pillars. The elevation plan consists of plinth, wall portion, verandica and shikhar portion. Ganesha, Kartikeya, Parvati and Sur Sundaris are carved in bhadra rathikas. In the bhadra, pratibhadra and kodak rathas of the jangha portion, the figures of Surya, dikpala, ten incarnations of Vishnu, saptamatrikas, Ganesha and Sur Sundaris are carved. The shikhar is of Nagara style and its middle strip is decorated.

The idol of Sun God is placed here inside the temple. The other main object of interest of the village is a temple of Vindhya Vasani Devi on the top of hill. Niwari is the headquarter town of the Niwari tehsil of the same name.The Sun temples of Umari and Madkhera are excellent gifts of the Pratiharas. A number of step wells and temples we constructed in Tikamgarh district during the Chandela reign.

On the shikhara, there is an elaborate sukha-nasika. There are two levels in it, the lower level has four niches, two in front and two on lateral sides. The niches on the lateral sides are empty at present, however R D Banerji reports that there were Nataraja images in these niches. The front niches have Vishnu and Brahma. On the upper tier of the sukha-nasika, a face is carved inside the simha-mukha. He is holding a ashkamala and water pot. R D Banerji indentifies him with Shiva whereas Krishna Deva identifies it with Surya.