| Lakshana Devi Temple | |
|---|---|
.jpg) 7th century Lakshana Devi temple, Himachal Pradesh | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Chamba district |
| Deity | Durga, others |
| Location | |
| Location | Bharmour |
| State | Himachal Pradesh |
| Country | India |
  Shown within India  Lakshana Devi Temple, Bharmour (Himachal Pradesh) | |
| Geographic coordinates | 32°26′32.3″N 76°32′14.7″E / 32.442306°N 76.537417°E |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Gupta era |
| Completed | c. 7th-century[1][2] |
| Elevation | 2,135[3] m (7,005 ft) |
The Lakshana Devi Temple in Bharmour is a post-Gupta era Hindu temple in Himachal Pradesh dedicated to Durga in her Mahishasura-mardini form. It is dated to the second half of the 7th-century, and is in part one of the oldest surviving wooden temples in India.[4][1][5]
The temple is the oldest surviving structure of the former capital of Bharmour, also referred to as Bharmaur, Barmawar, Brahmor or Brahmapura in historic texts.[6][7] Its roof and walls have been repaired over the centuries and it looks like a hut, but the Himachal Hindu community has preserved its intricately carved wooden entrance, interior and ceiling that reflects the high art of late Gupta style and era. The design and a late Gupta script inscription below the brass metal goddess statue in its sanctum confirms its antiquity.[6][8] The wooden carvings include Shaivism and Vaishnavism motifs and themes.[9]
- ^ a b Mulk Raj Anand (1997). Splendours of Himachal Heritage. Abhinav Publications. pp. 14–15. ISBN 978-81-7017-351-9.
- ^ George Michell (2000). Hindu Art and Architecture. Thames & Hudson. p. 64. ISBN 978-0-500-20337-8.
- ^ Omacanda Hāṇḍā (2001). Temple Architecture of the Western Himalaya: Wooden Temples. Indus. pp. 136–138. ISBN 978-81-7387-115-3.
- ^ Hermann Goetz (1955). The Early Wooden Temples of Chamba. E. J. Brill. pp. 14, 59–65, 75–83.
- ^ Ronald M. Bernier (1997). Himalayan Architecture. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. pp. 139–142. ISBN 978-0-8386-3602-2.
- ^ a b Bernier, Ronald M. (1983). "Tradition and Invention in Himachal Pradesh Temple Arts". Artibus Asiae. 44 (1): 65–91. doi:10.2307/3249605. JSTOR 3249605.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
asivolxivchambawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Laxman S. Thakur (1996). The Architectural Heritage of Himachal Pradesh: Origin and Development of Temple Styles. Munshiram Manoharlal. pp. 89–91, 149–150. ISBN 978-81-215-0712-7.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Handa2001p138was invoked but never defined (see the help page).