Nachna

Location

The village lies about 25 kilometres southeast of the small town Nagod and about 100 km away from Khajuraho. The nearest railway station is located at a 20 km drive northeast in city Satna; the Gupta temple of Bhumara is located about 10 km to the south.

History

The early history is not well known, since records or building inscriptions are missing. The only two surviving ancient temples that can be accessed, as well as other findings, suggest that the site has attracted significant numbers of pilgrims for centuries, and up to the present day. The Parvati temple dates from the Gupta period (second half of the 5th century); the much better known and revered Chaumukhnath Temple was probably also built during this period, but has been repeatedly altered and restored in the following centuries such that a clear and uniform dating may no longer be possible. From other Gupta temple foundation remains, artefacts and decorative parts were found.

Temple

The two most important temples of Nachna are close together. The Chaumukhnath Temple (translated as 'man with four faces') has a sanctuary dedicated to God Shiva, speculated to have been added opposite to 'Parvati Temple'. It is uncertain whether this has to do with the original consecration of the building, as the goddess Parvati undergoes worship throughout India not alone but in the presence of Shiva or in the forms of Kali, Durga, Chamunda, Annapurna etc. A cult statue inside is not preserved, but uniquely shaivite iconography (Kailash, Ganas, Shiva Pratiharas) suggests that the Parvati Temple could also have acted as a sanctuary dedicated to Shiva.

Architecture

The Parvati Temple has walls over a meter thick walls, oriented to the west—that is, toward the setting sun—and stands on an approximately two meter high platform that is unique in the whole of India: the externally visible stones are smooth axed, however corners and side edges of many stones have been cut off deliberately in such a way that gives the impression that the platform is a rocky landscape naturally evoking associations with the holy mountain Kailash, the mythical abode of Shiva and his consort Parvati in Himalayas.

As with all early Gupta Temple, there are inner and outer walls of the Cella (garbhagriha)—except for the two Jali—window—neither divided and even decorated in a different way. Above the Cella of the temple was originally a chamber-like structure, sometimes referred to as a preform Shikhara, sometimes regarded as a tower room for storage and protection of the temple treasures. As can be seen on an old photo still, the roof of the building was formerly a flat ceiling with large stone slabs. Such two-storey constructions are only seen in a few early temples (such as Sanchi, Temple No. 45; Deogarh, Kuraiya-Bir Temple). As an open stone portico (mandapa) is missing, it is quite possible that the Cella was surrounded at the time of its construction by a covered and destroyed long wooden handle.

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Door entrance

The entrance to the sanctum (garbhagriha) of the temple with its multiple staggered style in depth—consisting of columns that rest on pitchers (Kalashs) and relief post—is among the best preserved of the Gupta period. It is flanked by guard figures in the lower part (Ganga and Yamuna and Shiva Pratiharas), "Heavenly lovers" ( mithunas etc. ) and adorned tendrils that spring out of the navels of two dwarfs, whose bodies are also coated with them. It differs from other Gupta temporal doors by the absence of clear stone lintel beam projected above the side door.

Jali window

Two of the oldest Jalis that are still fitted as wooden windows in the exterior walls of the cella show Ganas playing music, dancing or abstract decor. These probably date back to the third period of the 5th century.

In the 'rocky landscape' of the platform walls several small animal reliefs (resting gazelles etc.) were created, of which only a few have been preserved.

Architecture

Comparable in ground plan and dimensions to the Parvati temple is the Chaumukhnath temple. Offset from the Parvati temple, it is oriented toward the east, toward the rising sun. The architectural history of the temple is unusual and complex: on the basis of an originally 5th-century platform, a new temple was built at the end of the 9th century, but the windows of a late-5th century temple were used. The outer wall of the temple is divided in several places with the rich architectural decoration consisting of Jali-windows, figures (mithunas), niches and decorative panels (udgamas) of the Pratihara style being attached at various levels, which lends the temple an unusual and interesting appearance. Visually and architecturally separated by a peripheral ledge of the outer wall sanctum, its tower was set up shortly afterwards.

Lingam

The interior of the small sanctum (garbhagriha) holds an approximately one meter high Shiva-lingam with four faces, three of which are largely the same design that exude calm. The fourth face of Shiva with wide mouth, raised nostrils and slightly bulging eyes exhibits the terrible aspect in his form as Bhairava. The four faces together illustrate the universal aspect and significance of Shiva. Such portrayals in India are rare and usually provided with only one face (Bhumara), most likely due to the desire of some Shiva-devotees or sects to worship their God pictorially as was customary with other Indian gods for some time. The present lingam probably dates to the 7th century, with the original possibly from the 5th taken elsewhere. Because of the constant care and devotion by Brahmins priests, it remains in a well-preserved condition.

Jali window

Three Jali windows, which let little light into the dark sanctum, are among the temple's attractions. Its multi-layered composition and decorative figures are significantly more elaborate than the Jalis at Parvati Temple and more representative of the local adornments artistically-speaking. The actual window panel consists of two shells with rich profiled—reminiscent of wooden model—lattices inside and three small arcades in the exterior, formed as horseshoe arches. The polygonal broken pillars standing on a cubic base have a pumpkin-shaped pinnacle (amalaka) and end in a block-like attachment with abaco panel.

All three windows display music playing and dancing Ganas at the bottom, with symmetrically arranged river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna appearing in addition to their vahanas, in this case, each a river monster (Makara). The recessed frame mounts (shakhas) are richly decorated.

Other temples

About 400 meters south of the archaeological site of Nachna are more, relatively new temples (Teliya Madh temple, Rupani Temple), in which at its later establishment were fitted many century old figures and relief parts from destroyed Gupta temples. It can safely be concluded that in Nachna there were formerly several more from the Gupta-era.

An old stone window from the 5th century with horseshoe-shaped keyhole openings and several sculptures found were set up in the immediate vicinity of the Main Zone.

Environment

Several smaller archaeological sites are found in a 15 km radius of Nachna: Pipariya, Khoh, Bhumara, and others. These are also attributed to the Gupta period, but are much less known and explored. In 1979 the Shiva temple of Bhumara was restored; it is one of the best preserved. The Gupta Temple of Tigawa is located about 80 km south-west, with another Gupta temple in Sanchi. The ruins of Bharhut Buddhist stupas are 12 km east. Dashavatara Temple is in Deogarh.

Importance

Today, as probably in earlier times also, the temple site of Nachna only has a regional following of substance. Despite its beauty and archaeological significance, rarely are tourist visits seen.

Literature