Dharmarajeshwara Temple

The Dharmarajeshwara Temple is a rock-cut Shaiva temple carved from a single rock outcrop in the countryside near Mandsaur town. Comparable in technique (if not in scale) to the famous cave temples of Ellora, it features detailed sculptural work from the medieval period that has survived in good condition.

The temple is set in open agricultural land and the approach is undramatic — the site announces itself almost without warning. Inside, the carvings of Shiva and other deities show accomplished workmanship from the Parmar dynasty era. The site receives relatively few visitors, which means you are likely to have it largely to yourself. A local auto-rickshaw or taxi can get you there; ask for directions in Mandsaur as signage is limited.

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A story
The Dharmarajeshwara Temple is sometimes called the Ellora of Madhya Pradesh, a comparison that manages to be both flattering and slightly misleading. It is carved from a single rock outcrop in the manner of Ellora's monolithic temples, but on a much smaller scale. What makes it remarkable is that it survived largely unnoticed by mainstream Indian archaeology until relatively recently, and remains far less visited than its quality deserves.