Temples

Chandrabhaga Temples

An ancient riverside temple complex on the sacred Chandrabhaga

🗺 Hadoti Region 📍 90 km from Kota ⭐ Ancient riverside temples and the Kartik Purnima fair

On the banks of the Chandrabhaga River near Jhalrapatan stands a beautiful group of ancient temples, some of the oldest and most finely carved in the Hadoti region. Dedicated to Shiva and other deities, these stone shrines are richly sculpted with figures, floral motifs and geometric ornament, and their riverside setting adds a serene, sacred atmosphere.

The complex comes alive during the Chandrabhaga Fair, a large cattle fair and religious gathering held on Kartik Purnima, when pilgrims bathe in the river and the ghats fill with colour and activity. At other times it is a quiet, contemplative spot ideal for admiring the craftsmanship at leisure.

The Chandrabhaga temples are among the finest of Jhalawar's tourist places and a wonderful stop for anyone drawn to ancient architecture on a Hadoti tourism day trip from Kota.

History of Chandrabhaga Temples

The Chandrabhaga temples date largely from the 7th to 10th centuries, built during the Pratihara period and after, and represent some of the earliest surviving temple architecture in the region. Their carving reflects the mature medieval north Indian style.

The riverside site has been sacred for well over a millennium, and the annual Kartik Purnima fair continues a tradition of pilgrimage and trade that stretches back centuries.

Story & Legend

Pilgrims hold that a dip in the Chandrabhaga on the full-moon night of Kartik washes away the sins of a lifetime, and that the river itself is a blessed sister of the great Chandrabhaga of the north, come south to bless the people of Hadoti.