Description of the Shrine structure

The temple is a bold structure made of stone. Its vertical altitude consists of three parts: the high basement, the middle portion and the Śikhara. Like many other temples there are beautifully executed moulding, a row of elephants or gajaratha, each about twenty inches in height and facing outside, apparently at the base all around the temple (Plate:V.d). The trunks of all the elephant are designed and successively broken and are repaired to give them the original look. Probably this repairing was done during the temple’s restoration by Raghudeva.^[1] P.C. Sarma states that the elephants’ images are of special significance in that these rock-cut designs and a few other features bear great resemblance with that of the Kailāśa of Ellora, an 8^th century A.D. temple.^[2] From the base to a height of six feet, the architectural work tells of a high degree of precision and fineness of the designer. Above the elephant designs, the upper wall of the exterior of the temple is decorated with beautiful sculptured statues (Plate:V). Here ten avatāras are represented along with Buddha. The rest of the figures are of an unremarkable character. According to the lāmās these figures were originally inside the temple but were ejected by the Buddha.^[3] The upper portion or śikhara is like a pyramidic dome which contains right up to a pinnacle point. The dome of the temple is believed to be a later medieval restoration. It appears that the upper and lower parts of the temple were rebuilt at two different times.

The plinth of the temple is built of stone and contains three features of ancient Indian temple—the Garbhagṛha, Antarāla and Maṇḍapa. The horizontal aspect of the temple in addition to the garbhagṛha and the roomy chamber, attached through an antarāla to the temple is called the ‘Maṇḍapa’ which built with stone blocks and flat roofs and resting on massive brick pillars. This part of the temple was also restored.

P.C. Sarma mentioned in his work that—

“The restoration of the walls were tried to be made similar with the original one, but it could not be done so.”^[4]

According to local residents, 1897 earthquake^[5] made the Maṇḍapa badly damaged and thereafter it was repaired by the British Government. The garbhagṛha is a crypt, having floor of stone and containing the idols and pedestal. The doors open into the chamber called maṇḍapa made of stone. The stone screen has lotus shaped apertures one on each side for the admission of light and air.^[6]

In front of the main temple there is now a big hall built with tin roof and wooden posts. This hall is called the Nāṭ Mandira (Plate:VI.d). At the northwest side of the temple, there is a dome or Doul^[7] (Plate:VI.a) built at a height from the ground with stairway all around it. It was constructed by king Pramatta Singha in 1750 A.D. This Doul is referred to by Gait as the Rāslilā tower dedicated to the worship of Mādhava during the holi festival, held in the temple.^[8] At the north side of the temple there are long stony stairs reaching downwards. There exists a big pond known as Mādhava Pukhuri (Plate:III.b). In the Yoginī Tantra it is referred to as Viṣṇpuṣkara. ^[9] There are two important platforms in the Hayagrīva Mādhava temple. One of the platforms is called Jogmohan where the Buddhist devotees burn their incense sticks and the other is known as Nāṭ Mandira where sometimes the devadāsīs used to perform dances. These features signify the richness of the Hayagrīva Mādhava temple, one of the most important temples in Assam. Before entering the main temple people worship the Narasiṃha image that is placed near the gate.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Cetana, 4th year, Vol.8, 1923, pp.217-218.

[2]:

Sarma, P.C: A study of Temple Architecture of Assam from the Gupta period to the end of the Ahom Rule. Ph.D. Thesis, Gauhati university, 1960, p.71.

[3]:

Journal of Assam Research Society, Vol.II. No. 2, pp.43-44.

[4]:

Sarma, P.C: ibid.,p. 192-193.

[5]:

Gait refers to six major earthquakes in the years 1548, 1596, 1642, 1663, one during the reign of Ahom king Kudra Singha and another of great intensity in 1897. Gait, K.A: A History of Assam, pp.100, 105, 125, 143, 187, 402.

[6]:

E.T. Dalton: Op. Cit., p.19.

[7]:

The Doul was built during the reign of the Ahom king Pramatta Singha in 1750 A.D. under the supervision of Deka Tarun Duara Barphukan. Neog, M: Prachya Sasanavali, Gauhati, p.163.

[8]:

Gait, E.A: Report on the Progress of Historical Research in Assam, pp.6-7.

[9]:

Yoginī-tantra, 2.9.l20.