Photo 1002/14(676)

General view of the Bhitargaon temple. Alexander Cunningham writes that:

'My enquiries during the season 1877-78 were chiefly directed to the exploration of some of the old places which had not yet been visited ... and to other sites, such as Bilsar, Pakna, Bihar, Newal, Bhitargaon, and Tusaran Bihar, which had only recently been discovered.

'I began work at Bhitargaon, a large village 20 miles from Cawnpore, which possesses the only ancient brick temple that now exists in Northern India. This building is especially interesting from the fact of its possessing two semi-circular vaulted passages and two pointed arched domes. The arches are regularly turned with radiating voussoirs; but the bricks are placed edge to edge instead of face to face. This style of arch I propose to call the Hindu arch, as to the best of my knowledge it is found only in India. This style is still practised in a rough way at Multan. The Bhitargaon temple is also interesting from its terracotta sculptures and architectural ornaments, some of which are 2 feet 6 inches in height. Its date is unknown; but from its style it must be long prior to the Muhammadan conquest; and I would assign it to the later period of Gupta rule. Several photographs of the temple have been taken by my assistant, Mr. Beglar.' (Tours of Major-General A. Cunningham, Director General, Archaeological Survey of India, in 1877-78 and 1878-79. India Home Proceedings, Archaeology, IOR/P/1501, pp. 27-28).

Also described in detail in Alexander Cunningham, Report of Tours in the Gangetic Provinces from Badaon to Bihar, in 1875-76 and 1877-78 (A.S.I. vol. XI, Calcutta, 1880), pp. 40-46.