Sculpting Temple Design

Believed to have been constructed sometime between the 11th and 12th centuries CE by the then reigning Parmar and Chauhan rulers, the temples of Kiradu are located remotely, west of Barmer in Rajasthan. Known as the ‘Khajuraho of Rajasthan’ by the locals — and currently in a state of ruin owing to deliberate destruction and the ravages of nature — they now stand mute testimony to the passage of time, to the rise and fall of dynasties and their fortunes

- Sudha Ganapathi

About 35 kilometres west of Barmer in Rajasthan, where the Thar Desert meets some scattered outcrops of the Aravalli mountain range, lie the ruins of the temples of Kiradu. The temples have remained relatively unknown due to their isolated location, and it is difficult to believe that they were once on an important trade and pilgrim route connecting Sindh with Ajmer and Delhi. [1] Though there are only five temples ‘standing’ today at Kiradu, local legends claim that there were originally around 108 temples there. Piles of broken stones — some elaborately carved and some plain — lie scattered across the temple complex, pointing towards the existence of more temples at Kiradu in the past. A solitary watchman is in charge of the temples of Kiradu, though he leaves at sunset, thanks to a curse associated with the place — anyone who stays overnight at the temples would turn into stone. [2] The same legends also consider Kiradu, whose name is derived from the ancient site of Kiratakupa, to be associated with the Kiratas (a hunting tribe) who are mentioned in the Mahabharata. [3]