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Distance
: 68km from Gwalior
¤ Temple
Attractions
About an hour and a half away from Gwalior, en route to
Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, is a beaten track that leads to
the ruins of Pavaya and the neighbouring Dhoomeshwar
Mahadeo Temple. You’ll reach the village of Pavaya after
you cross the bridge on River Parvati. Travel a bit
further, and you will reach a T-junction. A left turn
leads you to Pavaya or Padmavati as it was earlier
known, while the right track branches off to the
Dhoomeshwar Mahadeo Temple.
¤ Attractions of Ruins Dating
Back To Naga Kings
 Pavaya
or Padmavati is a fascinating stone complex of ruins
which date back to the reign of the Naga Kings. There is
no proper road leading to these ruins, which results in
tourists often passing them by.
The terrain is rich in dry scrub vegetation that has
happily sprouted between the monuments. The uneven
ground suggests that there might well be some buried
monuments or structures waiting to be unearthed. This
was the capital of the Naga Kings, which was later
abandoned and left to the mercy of nature.
According to the Puranas (check Ancient Scriptures &
Folklore of India for details), the decline of the
Kushana Dynasty in the third century a.d. led to the
emergence of the Naga Dynasty. Naga influence soon
spread from Vidisha to Mathura, and Pavaya or Padmavati
became their base. Lord Shiva, the Destroyer of the
Universe according to Hindu mythology, was the deity
worshipped by the kingdom. Forgotten and neglected, the
site needs to be explored thoroughly to gain a fresh
insight into it.
These stone ruins are spread over an area of half a
kilometre, and consist of four main structures and a few
Chhattris(cenotaphs). A dome, each with arched doors and
windows tops these four cube-like structures. Not far
from these ruins stands the lonely, deserted Fort built
by the Parmar dynasty, during the medieval era.
¤ Dhoomeshwar Mahadeo Temple
The Dhoomeshwar Mahadeo Templeis all of 3 kilometres
from the Pavaya ruins. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it
stands boldly on the rocky banks of the Sindh River that
flows nearby. In keeping with the usual architecture of
Hindu temples, it has steps leading to its four
sections, namely the ardha mandapa(small hall), the
mandapa(middle hall), the antaralaya (inner chamber),
and the garbha griha or the sanctum sanctorum. The three
outer sections have been plastered white, while the
inner sanctum retains its original yellow sandstone
colour.
The Dhoomeshwar Mahadeo Stone Temple is very similar to
the Kandariya Stone Temple at Khajuraho, but it bears no
sign of the era it belongs to. However, the Shivalinga
(symbolic phallus of Shiva) enshrined inside the sanctum
is very ancient, while the marble flooring is the
contribution of the devotees of Shiva, who flock to the
temple in large numbers.
The temple comes alive during the festival of Shivaratri
(check Religion for details), with the zest and
enthusiasm of scores of devotees.
¤ Tourist Information
Be prepared for a rather rough ride, as the road leading
to both these places is rather bumpy. Take along
sufficient supply of snacks and water or cold drinks, as
none are available near these ancient stone monuments. |
