The town of Bhojpur is rich with immense historical and religious importance. Located at a distance of 28km. from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, it was founded by the legendry Parmara king, Dhar Raja Bhoj. Bhojpur is renowned for the remains of its magnificent Shiva Temple and Cyclopean dam.
Tourist Attractions of Bhojpur
Bhojeshwar Temple : Bhojeshwar Temple is renowned as the Somnath of the East. The richly engraved dome has a brilliant rising and is supported by four pillars. The intricately carved doorway exudes magnificence with the two finely sculpted figures that stand on either side. The lingam rises to a soaring 7.5 feet with a circumference of 17.8 feet. Set upon a massive platform and composed of three overlying limestone blocks, the architectural splendor of the lingam and the platform creates a unique impression. The temple was never completed and the earthen ramp which used to raise it to dome-level, still remains.
Jain Temple : The Jain shrine stands close to the Bhojeshwar temple. This temple also, with a similar stone-raising ramp, stands incomplete. There are three figures of the Trthankaras - one, a colossal statue of Mahavira 20 feet high and the other two are of Parswanath. This temple probably belongs to the same period as the Bhojeshwar temple.
Cyclopean Dam : Once there was a vast lake to the West of Bhojpur. Now, the magnificent old dam has been reduced to the ruins. A natural wall of hills enclosed the whole area except for two gaps of 100 yards and 500 yards in width. These were closed by mammoth earthen dams, faced on both sides with enormous blocks of sandstone. The smaller dam is 44 feet high and 300 feet thick at the base, the larger dam 24 feet high with a flat top 100 feet broad. These embankments held up an area of water of about 250 square miles. This creation is attributed to Raja Bhoj, but, other possibilities assign it to an earlier date.
How to Reach Bhojpur
Reaching Bhojpur is not difficult at all.
By Air: The nearest airport is Bhopal which is 40km. away. It is connected with Mumbai, Delhi, Indore and Gwalior.
By Rail: Bhopal, on the Delhi-Madras and Delhi-Mumbai mainline is the most convenient railway station.
By Bus: Bhojpur is connected by bus with Bhopal.
