1. Restored temples at Bateshwar. Morena group of temples app 40 kms from Gwalior. First comes Bateswar, next Padavali and then Mitawali. Restoration done by Prof K K Muhammad ex Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and team.
2. Temples made of stone masonry, attributed post-Gupta early Pratihara period 6-9th century A.D. The earliest group of temples with sanctum with flat roof. Later temples had curvilinear Shikhara over sanctums. One of the surviving temples, dedicated to Shivji, known as Buteshwara shows the features of Pratihara art.
3. Temple on extreme left is original temple. Best time to visit is about 8 am. I made mistake of first doing Mitawali and then this on way back hence light had changed. Restored temples end of an upper part of hill from where clicked.
4. Group of Temples before conservation. Pic courtesy ASI. Wonder how temples got to this state. Drive from national highway to Morena, saw lot of quarries where similar looking stone was being removed.
5. Front view. Hats off to Prof Mohammad for painstakingly restoring the temples, not an easy talk. Wonder why the restoration work has stopped. Met a caretaker – wish there was a guide atleast during tourist season.
6. A third part of the temple before restoration. Notice the raised platform, it exists even today as you saw in previous pic. Pic courtesy ASI..
7. U can see temple ruins all over the place. Restored temples on four levels, side view.
8. Restoration team discussing ways to restore the Bateshwar Group of Temples. Pic courtesy ASI.
9. Centre view of restored temples.
10. Tree, next to a temple. Pic courtesy ASI.
11. Restored temples on lower level.
12. Temple design of restored temples reasonably similar.
13. Took close ups of temple panels, do not remember description. Centre looks like Shivji, note lady leg posture.
14. Centre Buddha murti. In case of any errors please correct.
15. Temple lower part. Centre looks like Karthika identified by peacock.
16. Please help with caption.
17. Please help with caption. Lower panel centre looks like Lord Vishnu. Extreme left is Narasimha avatar of Vishnu.
18. Restored temples.
19. Temple without shikhar. See how huge pieces of stone on both sides in balance.
20. Restored temple, see entrance panel.
21. Centre lower part is Balaram, brother of Sri Krishna. Top centre could be Shivji.
22. This Hanumanji worshipped by many devotees.
23. Broader view of restored temples – right of pic is a small kund that you shall see later.
24. Ruins of temples. As you go through the album compare with what you see today. Pic courtesy ASI.
25. Temples as you enter, in front is Nandi.
26. This is original temple in one part of complex. Think this is Shiva Parvati.
27. Entrance to sanctum.
28. Story from Mahabharata I think, in hand of lady is Sri Krishna.
29. Help with caption.
30. Think this is Narasimha Avatar of Lord Vishnu.
31. Sri Krishna – churning of milk.
32. Right is Balaram, brother of Sri Krishna. Left please help.
33. View of restored temples – from top of Krishna Mandir ie at a high point.
34. Shikhar of the Shiv Mandir, where devotees continue to worship.
35. Kund – caretaker said the Muslim invaders tried to convert it into a Muslim monument hence the design made.
36. Lower panel of one of the temples – amazing work.
37. Side panel, amazing work.
38. Side panel, close to ground is Ganesha.
39. Looks like left to right Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh.