Sihoniya

Sihoniya is a town in Morena district, in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The town is sometimes referred to as Suhania; in medieval times it was called SiÃ¡Â¹ÂhapÃÂnÃÂ«ya. The settlement has a long history and a number of notable monuments, one being of national importance and protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.

History

The history of Sihoniya goes back to at least the ninth century as shown by the remains of temple ruins and fragments dating to the time of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty. Subsequently, it was one of the chief centres of the KacchapaghÃÂtas. Epigraphic testimony for the presence of the KacchapaghÃÂta rulers comes from a record on the base of Jain image which is dated Vikrama year 1034/CE 977Ã¢ÂÂ78 and mentions MahÃÂrÃÂjÃÂdhirÃÂja VajradÃÂman (KacchapaghÃÂta). Sihoniya declined after the twelfth century, but it featured nonetheless in later poetic accounts of the Tomar rulers.

Transport

Sihoniya is connected by bus service from Morena and Ambah.

Monuments

The monuments of Sihoniya were first studied by M. B. Garde and published in the reports of the archaeological department of Gwalior State. The data in these reports were compiled into a list prepared in 1952.

ÃÂiva temple

The most important temple at Sihoniya is that dedicated to ÃÂiva and known today as the KakanmaÃ¡Â¹Âh. It is under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India. The temple was built on a vast scale in the eleventh century and is one of the only surviving royal temples of the KacchapaghÃÂta dynasty. The SÃÂs BahÃÂ« temple inscription at Gwalior records that the temple was built by KÃÂ«rtirÃÂja, a KacchapaghÃÂta king who ruled between circa CE 1015-35:

adbhutaÃ¡Â¸Â¥ siÃ¡Â¹ÂhapÃÂnÃÂ«ya nagare yena kÃÂritaÃ¡Â¸Â¥ |

kirttistaÃ¡Â¹Âbha ivabhÃÂti prÃÂsÃÂdaÃ¡Â¸Â¥ pÃÂvartatiÃÂpateÃ¡Â¸Â¥ ||11||

In the town of SiÃ¡Â¹ÂhapÃÂnÃÂ«ya was caused to be built by him [KÃÂ«rtirÃÂja],

An extraordinary temple PÃÂrvatiÃ¢ÂÂs Lord, which shines forth like a column of glory.

The KakanmaÃ¡Â¹Âh appears to have been ruined in about the thirteenth century, losing the outer facing stones on the spire and the roof of the maÃ¡Â¹ÂÃ¡Â¸Âapa. One of the pillars has an inscription dated Vikrama 1[4]50 recording the renovation of the MahÃÂdev temple (i.e. KakanmaÃ¡Â¹Âh) by an individual named DurgÃÂprasÃÂda. The temple also has a number of votive records, for example one dated Vikrama year 1497/CE 1440-41 from the time of Ã¡Â¸Âungar Dev Tomar that mentions DekhaÃ¡Â¹Âa, son of Kakala, who was a resident of NalapuragaÃ¡Â¸Âha (possibly modern Narwar).

Two massive stone lions once marked the eastern entrance; these now flank the gatehouse of the Archaeological Museum in Gwalior. Many sculptures of Hindu deities from KakanmaÃ¡Â¹Âh are also preserved in the museum.

AmbikÃÂ DevÃÂ« temple

The most significant temple in the town is dedicated to AmbikÃÂ DevÃÂ«. The complex consists of two temples side-by-side, surrounded by a perimeter wall. The buildings are made of re-constituted and re-organised architectural fragments of various dates ranging from the ninth to the thirteenth centuries. An inscription dated Vikrama year 1467/CE 1410-11 on one of the pillars mentioning MahÃÂrÃÂjÃÂdhirÃÂja ÃÂrÃÂ« VÃÂ«rama (VÃÂ«raÃ¡Â¹Âga) Dev Tomar and sÃÂ«tradhÃÂra HaridÃÂs may record the construction of portions of the current structure. Other inscriptions bear the date Vikrama year 1516.

In his GopÃÂcala ÃÂkhyÃÂna, a seventeenth-century chronicle of the kings of Gwalior, the poet KhargrÃÂy devoted several verses to the AmbikÃÂ DevÃÂ«, describing its features and noting it was the resort of worthy and religious men:

BÃÂmhan paÃ¡Â¸Âhai ved dhuni bhaÃÂ« | maÃ¡Â¹Âh kÃÂ« nÃÂ«ÃÂ« tabai nÃ¡Â¹Âp daÃÂ« ||

daÃÂ« nÃÂ«ÃÂ« maÃ¡Â¹Âh liyau banÃÂÃÂ« | tÃÂkÃÂ« upamÃÂ kahÃÂ« na jÃÂÃÂ« ||

causaÃ¡Â¹Â khÃÂm satakhanai Ã¡Â¹Âhaye | tÃÂ mahi kuÃ¡Â¹ÂÃ¡Â¸Â mahÃÂ dvai bhaye ||

gaÃ¡Â¹ÂgÃÂ jamunÃÂ kau jalu lÃÂ«yau | tÃÂmai ÃÂni Ã¡Â¸ÂÃÂri so dÃÂ«yau ||

aru tÃÂmai bahu citra banÃÂÃÂ« | citra devalokani ke bhÃÂÃÂ« ||

khirakÃÂ« ÃÂÃ¡Â¹Âh cÃÂri darabÃÂr | bane jharokhÃÂ aganit pÃÂr ||

ÃÂm ÃÂmalÃÂ« bahu phulavÃÂÃÂ« | cahu dis tahÃÂÃ¡Â¹Â karÃÂ« bagavÃÂÃÂ« ||

phÃÂ«lat kamal sarovar ghanai | pahup keli pahupani chabi ghanai ||

The Brahmin read the Vedic chants, the King then laid the temple foundation.

Laying the foundation he built the temple; I am unable to sing its praise.

Sixty-four pillars were dug and erected. There were also two great tanks.

Taking the waters of Ganga-Yamuna, he filled them up.

Eight windows and four courts, countless jharokhÃÂs were made.

Mango-Amla trees were planted, in all four directions gardens were set up.

Lotuses were spread over deep lakes, flowers playful and utterly charming.

Jain temple

Immediately south of Sihoniya is a prominent Jain temple and complex, the Digambar Atishay KÃ¡Â¹Â£etra. Jain stone images from the area have been collected and stored here.