Mundesvari Temple of Bihar

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Mundesvari temple museum at bhabhua in kaimur district ofbihar, Itihas Ki Khoj Mein, Center for gender studies, Patna,Vol. IV No. 1-2, ISSN -0975-3672, (Edi.) Dr. A.K. Jha, Patna,

2009

MUNDESVARI TEMPLE MUSEUM AT BHABHUA IN KAIMURDISTRICT OF BIHAR

Sachin kr. Tiwary*

Rushabh Sahu**

Amitabh Kr. Tiwary**

INTRODUCTION

We are living in an age of specialization which seems to be increasing day

by day with the advance of knowledge. It is heartening to note that this trend of

specialization has reached museums also, testifying to the maturity attained by

our country's museum movement. In India today, there are more than four

hundred museum belonging to science, technology, health, industry, agriculture,geology, natural history, art, archaeology, anthropology and other disciplines.1

It is only after independence specialized museums began to be opened. In

the country like India, there are various types of museums in different parts of the

country those do not fulfill all the criteria of ICOM, still then we call them as

museum. According to the ICOM definition "A museum is a non-profit making

permanent institution, in the service of society it's development, and open to the

public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits, for

the purpose of study, education and enjoyment, material evidence of man and

his environment."2

In India, now there are 46 Archaeological site museums underthe Archaeological survey of India but few collections are also found in the site

those are kept inside a house in haphazard manner without any documentation

and proper care.

LOCATION

With this background now we are going to discuss about an

Archaeological museum at Bhabhua in the Kaimur district of Bihar which could

not draw the attention of any organization although the Mundesvari temple itself

is a centrally protected Monument. The present museum (Lat. 250 2' 46" N., Long

030 36' 25" E.) is situated in the sourth-western parts of Bhabhua Block. One

can approach to this site from Bhabhua to Ramgarh of Bhagwanpur block with a

good motorable road which is 13 km. distance. The nearest Railway station is

Bhabhua road which is 25 km. away from the site.

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF THIS AREA

The temple Mundesvari (Figure. I II III) is located at the top of hill in the

Kaimur range of about 600 ft. above the ground level whereas the museum is

above 200 ft. The temple forms an important landmark in the history of templearchitecture, as it is the only remaining octagonal temple ofnagara style built of

stone in North India.3 The architectural and sculptural characteristics of the

temple. Suggests that it was constructed in 7th century A.D. as opined by R.D.

Banerji.4 Scholars like Buchanan, Kuraishi, K.C. Panigrahi, R.D. Banerji, N.G.

Majumdar worked on the different aspects of the Mundesvari temple. On a pillar

of Mundesvari, the letters of which probably a variety of the Siddha Matrika lipi

sound dated to the Post-Gupta priod.5 Besides a number of shell inscriptions

(Sankhalipi) found in the architectural members of the temple. The superstructure

has temple of collapsed since long due to the earthquake what exists at presents

is the half portion of the temple.

So a number of architectural members and sculptures found here and

there in the temple premises6.

ABOUT MUSEUM & MUSEUM OBJECT

Hence in 1993, a small building (Figure: V) was constructed what we call

as museum to kept the architectural fragments and sculptures of the temple. At

the same time few detached sculptures were also collected from the surrounding

areas and kept here. This building was constructed by memorandum of

Association ofsri mundeshwari parytan avam sanskritik vikas parishadunder the

active supervision of the collector and District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar

Srivastava. Through the images are not displayed and exhibited in systematic

manner still then it opened to the public to know about the aesthetic art and

iconography of various Gods and Goddesses. At present the museum is

maintained by the State Government and an Attendant is supervising.

The museum building consists of three rooms. One is using for official

purpose and the rest two are for displaying the objects. For the sake of

convenience the present authors named them as Hall No. I and Hall No. II.The former is larger than the later measuring 87 m. length and 5 m. in breadth

contained 18 images and two pillars. Besides there are six stone are almost

same measurement of 3.5 ft. 1.5 with the thickness of 3 and 4 inches. These

images are mainly kept on the four sides of the room. The following images in the

hall no. I, are very noteworthy and their iconographic details are described on

the following on the basis of their sectarian affiliation.

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Jaina

(1) A broken image of Jaina tirthankara whose leg portion is only survived that

suggest he is in kayotsarga posture. Two attendant are seated on either side of

the image and two bulls flanked on the pedestal with a dharmachakra at thecentre

(2) There is a fragment of miniature temple showing k irtimukhas and lata in the

medallion. A gandharva is also playing with some instrument.

(3) A broken Jain ayagapatta showing the head of a tirthankara in a medallion.

Buddhist

(1) A bust of Buddha image whose face is fully chopped out. The hallo part B

broken and the existing part ofsanghatiis shown from right to left. The deity has

elongated ears anduusnisa. (Figure VI)

Brahmanical Gods

(1) n a decorated temple fragment image of Siva is shown in the niches holding

trident ion the left hand.

(2) A decorated stone panel carved with a bull at the centre flanked by ganas on

either side.

(3) The fragment of a decorated pillar carved with a sex armed Siva holding

snake on his hand.

(4) An image of Surya seated on a lotus pedestal holding full blown lotus on hisboth hands.

(5) An auydha purusa of Vishnu in standing posture.

(6) A decorated pillar which is devisible into three parts. The lower and upper part

B square and octagonal at the centre. The lower part depicting the figures of

Siva, Ganesa, Surya and Visnu.

(7) In the broken part of a pillaster the figure of Kartikeya is carved on the niches.

(8) There is a figure of Mahisasuramardini whose lower part B survived. The

deity is standing over the buffalo head.

(9) On the Podium a five dimensional pillar is being kept. From bottom to the top

it looks like square, octagonal, sixteen sided, circular with floral design and the

topmost is also square.

In the Hall No. II 25 sculptural edifices are kept and the notable are

image of Visnu, Ekamukha Sivalinga few pillar fragments and unidentified

images. On the wall the photographs of prehistoric Rock paintings in the Kaimur

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region are displayed. Besides three images are kept outside the museum and

these are, Broken Ekamukha Sivalinga, Sivalinga and a part of a pillar carved

with Kirtimukha.

PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS:

The museum does not have any proper display technique. There are three

podiums in the hall No.-I in which two stone slabs are being kept and the other

image from the Podium was stolen before 5 year. The rest of the images are also

not kept in a systematic order.

At the moment, the following measures needed the museum.

(1) Documentation of the objects.

(2) Labeling

(3) Show case and Podium.

(4) Exhibition

(5) Brochure

(6) Lighting

(7) Advertisement

(8) Security

(9) Water facilities and Toilet.

The stone slabs and the sculptural fragments of the temple indicate that

how it was looks like in ancient period. The Buddhist and Jain image of that

region also tells the prevalence of the cult in that area. Due to the poor

maintenance and facilities few people do not want to see the architectural and

sculptural edifices. Again, the surrounding areas should be surveyed for the

collection of more images. The Government should also take necessary steps for

the development of this by declaring it as a site museum.

Acknowledgment:

We are deeply thankful to N. K. Pathak, (Dy. S.A., Patna circle, A.S.I.), for

guidance in the preparation of this paper. And also scholars research articles and

books.

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REFERENCES

(1) Nigam M.L., Fundamentals of Museology, Deva Publications,

Hyderabad, 1985, p. 27.

(2) Amprose Timothy, Paine, Crispin, Museum Basics, ICOM, London &

New York 1993, p. 8.

(3) Prasad P.C., Anand Kumar, Archaeological Discoveries in Kaimur

District in Sinha Ajoy Kumar (Eds.), Kaimur, Archaeological District

Gazetteer, Directorate of Archaeology, Department of Art, Culture and

Youth, Govt. of Bihar, 2001, p. 26-27.

(4) Banerji R.D., The Age of Imperial Guptas, Varanasi. Banaras Hindu

University, 1933, p. 154-58.

(5) Prasad P.C. Anand Kumar, op. ciit., p. 27

(6) Tiwary,S.K. & Krishnamurhty, S., A Rare Ekmukha Shivalinga from

Bhagwanpur Block, Kaimur District, Bihar (Edi.) The Glorious History of

India, In memory of R.C. Sharma, by: Dr. S. D. trivedy, Agam Kala

Prakashan, New Delhi, 2010 p.p. 491-96.

*Patna Circle, A.SI.

**Research Scholar

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Fig. I, Painting done by Daniel in 1808 Dec. 1Fig. II Photograph during 1965

Fig. III Present status of the Temple Mundeshwa

Fig. IV Present Museum front viewFig. V Buddha image display inside the Mu

Mundesvari Temple of Bihar

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