page_title: Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Jain Temples of Deogarh before restoration and modernization. Photo by Archeological Survey of India in 1918.
context_page_description: Deogarh is a village in Lalitpur district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located on the right bank of Betwa River and to the west of Lalitpur hills. It is known for Gupta monuments and for many ancient monuments of Hindu and Jain origins inside and outside the walls of the fort.
  The Gupta temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, popularly known as the Dashavatara Temple and dated to the 6th-century CE, is the earliest known Panchyatana temple in North India. The fort on the hill is dominated by a cluster of Jain temples on its eastern part, the oldest of these dating to the 8th or 9th century. Apart from Jain temples, the wall frescoes of Jain images of "iconographic and the stylistic variety", are special features of the fort. The three ghats, which provide approach to the Betwa river edge from the fort – the Nahar Ghat, the Rajghat and the ghat with the Siddh ki Ghufa – are also of archeological significance.
  The Deogarh monuments are protected by the Department of Archaeology of the Archaeological Survey of India, and managed through its Northern Circle Office located in Agra.
context_section_description: Deogarh's strategic location in Northern India on the ancient route to the Deccan Plateau made it a historically important place. It was part of the Bundelkhand region which had trade and cultural links with the Deccan. Its antiquarian, archaeological and epigraphical importance are linked to the Gupta period, the Gurjara–Prathiharas during the 9th century (an inscription dated 862 found on the Shantinath temple attests this), the Chandela rulers in the 11th century, Gonds, the Muslim rulers of Delhi, the Marathas and the British eras. During the Jaina period temples were built in the Nagara style of architecture from 8th to 9th centuries extending to 17th century AD. In the Siddha-ki gufa (cave) near Raj Ghati valley inscriptions dated from 1285 to 1751 have been found.
  The earliest religious influence in the Deogarh area can be traced to the Gupta period (320-550), (on the basis of an inscription on the Nahar Ghati) known as the "golden period" of Indian history. This was followed by the Jain period between the 8th and 17th centuries, where innumerable temples have been traced.
  The present village's history has not been examined at depth, even though many inscriptions have been located in the fort and the valley, relating to various stylistic and palaeographical denominations. Although the dynasties who ruled over the territory are known, who built what is not clear, except for the Jain temples, which were built by the merchant Jain community. More archaeological explorations would therefore be essential, to establish the linkages of building activities with the dynasties who ruled over the territory, considering the enormous amount of Hindu and Jain temple remains and artifacts found here.
  The earliest history of Deogarh is that of the architectural evolution traced to the ancient Gupta period, which flourished between the 4th and 6th centuries in Northern India. During this period, the arts, science and literature saw aesthetic evolution. It was the period when Brahminical, Buddhist and Jain activities flourished.
  During this time, sculptural arts peaked and "India entered upon the classical phase of sculpture". Even though Guptas were Hindu rulers, the cultures of Buddhism and Jainism also flourished during their reign. During this period, Buddhist sculptures were more puritanical with total elimination of nudity in its depictions. However, transparent tight fitting drapery were dictated by moral values and hence, were restrained. Indian temple architecture emerged with figurine sculptures in decorative settings, attaining excellence of form. This is inferred from the large panel of Sheshashayi Vishnu (Hindu god Vishnu reclining on the serpent Shesha) at the Deogarh temple.
caption: The Shantinath Temple (right) in the Jain temple complex in 1918 before restoration
exif: {}