Thousands of years old Bhutnath temple to be reconstructed

Bhopal, July 16:
The Bhojpur temple is world famous, but very few people know about the Bhutnath temple, which is situated only four kilometers away from there at village Ashapuri. It is said that the Bhopal's Upper Lake once spread up to Gauharganj and Mandideep and Singaldeep and these were its islands. The Parmar-era Bhutnath temple was situated at village Ashapur near Singaldeep.
Unfortunately, only ruins of this temple are remaining now. Culture and Public Relations Minister Shri Laxmikant Sharma launched the project to reconstruct this temple today. Shri Sharma said that so far the work of reconstruction is concerned it is being done by Archaeological Survey of India only. This is the first occasion when this work is being undertaken by the Archaeology Department of Madhya Pradesh government. The reconstruction work is likely to be completed in two years.
There are a number of ruins of temples exist in Ashapuri. A glance at these ruins shows that the biggest of these temples was constructed on the banks of a vast lake. Though this lake was a natural one but the Pratihar and Parmar rulers of 8th to 12th centuries had constructed stone walls around it. A large ghat was also constructed here, whose remains still exist. Apart from Bhutnath temple, remains of other temples are also present at Ashapuri including Ashadevi temple, Bilota and Satmasia temples. These temples will also be reconstructed.
The Bhutnath temple which was built in the architecture of those times called Bhumij style, was the most fabulous and gorgeous temple of the temples series in Ashapuri and was dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
The Directorate, Archives and Museum is maintaining the local Ashapuri Museum where statues and idols of Pratihar and Parmar eras have been kept. Some of these statues are important from the artistic point of viewt.
Commissioner Archaeology Shri Ashok Shah was also present on the occasion.