I first visited the temple on the 3rd of September, 2008, while returning from the Kaimur Hills, just after an early morning encounter with the Maoists who had taken shelter in a school at Soli, on the Hills. We had a miraculous escape in a very close encounter, where the bullets just missed us by inches, and so was the case with the Maoists as well, who also escaped unhurt. As we left the encounter site, it was time to seek the blessings at the ancient site of Mundeshwari, who must have been protecting us while we were battling with the sudden spree of bullets, not one of which could achieve the deemed target.

  The Mundesvari temple is the earliest specimen of the Nagara type of temple architecture available in Bihar. It is unfortunate that, although a distinct style of temple architecture, known as the Nagara style, was evolved in Magadha with its centre at Patliputra, specimens of it even in Bihar are very rare. The main monument on the hill is represented by the ruins of a Shaiva temple, octagonal in plan, 40’ in diameter externally and 20’ internally, with possibly a pillared porch in front of its main entrance, which no longer exists. The rare octagonal ground plan is similar to the Shankaracharya temple at Srinagar. Gupta style is apparent in the carvings. On the eastern slope of the hills there has been a find of a number of statues and rock-carved figures. It is clear that the hill was once the site for a cluster of temples and the Mundesvari temple was the main shrine.

To be continued...