History

Bhojpur got its holy name from king Bhoja. He is popular as the most celebrated ruler of the Param?ra dynasty. Legends say that there is no archaeological evidence from Bhojpur before the 11^th century, however a fact confirmed by local old residents which recount how Bhoja made a vow to build a series of dams "to arrest the streams of nine rivers and ninety-nine rivulets". They also found a location in the kingdom that allowed the great king to fulfil this vow and the dams were built at Bhojpur on his order. The dams were built of cyclopean masonry and one of them was opened on the orders of Hoshang Shah of Malwa in the late 15^th century. He ordered the dam to be broken at the request of local merchants in Bhopal and Vidisha, according to Persian chronicles.

Architecture

The temple is a simple square with outside portion of 66 feet, there are no re-entrant angles usual domes, though it is incomplete but has a magnificent soaring strength of line and is supported by four pillars. Like dome the pillars are also massive but they retain a remarkable elegance due to their tapering form. Divided into three sections the lowest is an octagon with facets of 2.12 feet, from which springs a 24-faced section. The doorway is richly carved from above and from below it is plain throwing sharp relief against the two exquisitely sculpted figures that stand on the either side. The other three sides are balconies each supported by massive brackets and four intricately carved pillars.