ROCK AND AWE

Masroor in Himachal is home to the only rock-cut temples in the Himalayas

Masroor in Himachal is home to the only rock-cut temples in the Himalayas
The thought of getting a glimpse of the richly carved 8th century rock-cut temples at Masroor,believed to be the only rock-cut temple group in the Himalayas,made me look up the Himachal Pradesh tourism website. But no page gave a firm idea of how to get there. While some said it was as close to Kangra as 19 kilometres,others put the distance at some 50-odd kilometres. The staff at the government tourist office in Shimla was clueless about the shortest route one could take. It seemed I was on to Himachals best kept secret. Perhaps it was the same elusiveness that saved these temples when Mahmud Ghaznis marauders came visiting north India.

But Ghaznis armed forces did not have Pooran,my trusted driver,who with a little coaxing was ready for the trip. We kickstarted our expedition with a stop at Brajeshwari temple Kangras most famous landmark. Local residents and visitors were more than willing to show us the way. And before long,we had set off on a winding road flanked by wooded mountains. Kangra was far behind us and Pooran had a song on his lips.

But the winding roads called for concentration. The sharp bends and gaping gorges on the way were not for the faint-hearted. And as we went uphill,the sleepy hamlets we spotted started disappearing into the mist.

One-and-a-half-hours later,the narrow path suddenly turned broad. It was as if out of nowhere a tiny village had emerged,overlooking a terraced farmland. On the other side,on an elevated plain,stood our destination15 rock-cut templesall grouped together.
From a distance,the partially ruined temple group seemed like a template for the famed Cambodian temples of Angkor Wat,but as I got closer,the ornately carved shrines looked like nothing that I had seen before.

Rock-cut temples are usually found south of the Vindhyasbe it the 8th century Ellora cave temples near Aurangabad or the 7th century Mahabalipuram shrines near Chennai. At Masroor,the 15 Indo-Aryan Nagara-style shrines overlook a rectangular tank. They have a central thakurdwar the main complex with a square garbhagriha sanctum sanctorum,a rectangular mandapa vestibule,a mukhamandapa main entrance with four massive columns and subsidiary shrines on either side. Dainty foliage,intricate ardhapadma inverted lotus and ghatapallavas auspicious motif adorned the magnificent main doorway and apsaras and shalabhanjikas ornate female forms stood on the side columns. The exterior had sculptures depicting pilgrims and devotees queuing up at the shrine. A flight of steps from the mandapa took us to the terrace for a breathtaking view of the reflection of the main temples spire on the water tank below. Though the remoteness of the temples must have protected them from marauding armies,the earthquake of April 1905 had damaged the structures. The kalashas the zenith that once adorned the shikhras lay on one side of the tank,as did pieces of sandstone panels,pillars,sculptures.

This monument of national importance has just one official from the Archaeological Survey of India manning it,but it does seem fairly well-maintained. Maybe the lack of tourists who dont feel the urge to carve their names and declare their love on the rocks helps. Thank god,there are no picnic groups to ruin the peace,I thought to myself.

But my relief was short-lived. A group of at least 10 people had just entered the complex,appreciating the temple sculptures aloud. The site did have its share of curious travelers after all,and I was not the only chosen one. Pooran welcomed the company,and watched them take photographs while I got back to the central shrine which had idols of Ram,Sita and Lakshman.

Story continues below this ad

Before long,the sun had almost dipped behind the mountains and the nearest town was a long drive away. It was time to bid adieu to Masroor. In the backdrop of the evening sky,the silhouettes of the temples looked ethereal. One last look and we were on the road again. On our way back,the drive was much shorter. Pooran had got new directions from the tourists about a shorter route via Ranital. Ghazni would have been envious.