Nagda Tourism, Madhya Pradesh India

Sas Bahu Temple Birla Mandir

In ancient times, Nagda was known as Nagahrada founded by Nagaditya, father of Siladitya who was ruling in A.D. 646. It was a flourishing town studded with Saiva, Vaishnava and Jaina temples. Subsequently in the fifteenth century, the Guhila king Mokala, constructed a large lake after the name of his brother Bagh Singh, at the place. The twin Vaishnava temple complex, popularly called as Sas-Bahu temples raised on a moulded platform is entered through a detached makara-torana on the east. The larger (Sas temple) is surrounded by ten subsidiary shrines, while the smaller one (Bahu temple) is a five-shrined complex. On plan, each temple consists of a pancharatha sanctum, vestibule, hall with lateral transepts and porch, enclosed by a decorated balustrade. The exterior is plain save for  seated icons on the cardinal offsets of Brahma, Siva and Vishnu surmounted respectively by Rama, Balarama and Parasurama. The relief figures include male and female deities, damsels, regents, amorous panels and scenes from the Ramayana. Among the remaining shrines, one on the north-east is intact with its beautiful stone spire. The niches on its walls harbour images of Brahma, Siva and Vishnu on the east, north and west faces respectively. Stylistically, these are assignable to the last quarter of the tenth century A.D.