Maladevi Temple

Maladevi Temple dates back to the 850–900 CE worship site.^[1] Epigraphist Richard G. Salomon suggests that temple was originally built as Jaina-Brahmanical hybrid.^[2] An Kalachuri inscription dating back to 850-885 CE, records the foundation of the temple during the reign of Valleka is preserved in British Museum.^[3][4]

Maladevi Temple is the largest and finest temple of Gyaraspur. It is famous for carvings and craftmanship, that are representative of post-Gupta architecture.^[5] It is a rock-cut temple built in Gurjara Pratihara style. The temple was a constructed around a sanctified natural cavern as the garbhagriha.^[6] The temple is rich with carvings of tirthankaras, yakshi, and yaksha. The temple consists of an entrance porch, mandapa garbhagriha and lofty shikhara bearing rich carvings.^[1] The temple houses a number of Jain idols, yet the figures of Goddesses on the outer door-frame and the name of the temple indicates that it was originally a Brahmical temple.^[7] The temple is dedicated to Adinatha.^[8][9]

The temple is considered one of the best examples of collections of varied Jain sculptures.^[10] The temple houses a carved idol of Shantinatha in lotus position with a symbol of deer and four armed yaksha and yakshi.^[11] There is image of Goddess Chakreshvari carved on the lalata-bimba.^[6] An idol of Parshvanatha dated 9th century is also enshrined inside the temple.^[12] The presence of images of 24 yaksha and yakshi inside the temple indicates the worship of each yaksha and yakshi during the 9th century.^[13]

The temple records various pilgrim sites such as Sobhasapranamati, Baswanapranamati, and Ambadevapranamati. It also houses an eigh-handed idol of Goddess with Tarapati engraved on leaves of lotus throne.^[14]

• 
  Entrance
• 
  Carving of a yaksha
• 
  Carving of a yakshi
• 
  Tirthankar carved on shikhara
• 
  Carving of kalasha on pillars
• 
  Richly carved courtyard
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  Richly carved window
• 

In 1930, Gwalior state stepped up to conserve Maladevi temple.^[15] Maladevi temple in Vidisha is protected by Archaeological Survey of India.^[16]

• Jain temples, Vidisha
• Bajramath temple
• Gadarmal Devi temple
• Udayagiri Caves