Kansua or Karneshwar Temple
Author: Mayuri Tiwari
Kansua Shiva Temple has been called Kansua Tirtha since ancient times. This ancient Shiv temple was built in Vikrami Samvat 795 i.e. 738 AD. Thus this temple is 1274 years old. Due to some reason this temple was ruined and its peak was broken. It was renovated and the Shikhar was rebuilt by keeping the original temple up to the Lental level. There is an inscription on the right wall of this temple, in which the construction of this temple has been mentioned. The great Hindi poet Jaishankar Prasad has also mentioned this inscription in the preface of his play ‘Chandragupta’.
This inscription is considered to be one of the best inscriptions in the country written in codex script.In the inscription, apart from mentioning this place as the oldest religious pilgrimage site, it is also written that this is the ancient ashram of Rishi Kanva where Shakuntala was brought up. It is believed that understanding the religious importance of this place, Shivgan, a feudatory of King Dhaval Maurya of Chittorgarh, had built this temple here in Vikrami Samvat 795. Shivgan was a Brahmin and he provided immortality to the ashram of Vedic period Maharishi Kanva by building a grand Shiva temple here. This temple was also renovated from time to time by the Hada dynasty rulers of Kota.
It is also believed that this ashram of Rishi Kanva “Kansua Dham” is the place where King Dushyant’s wife Shakuntala lived and from her womb India’s great king Bharat was born at this place.
This 8th century Shivalinga, located in Kansua (Kota), Rajasthan, is a four-faced Shivalinga. Its height is low (about 1.5 feet) and its open face expresses the hideous feeling of Aghor, while the face of Vamdev is depicted as smiling and with softness characteristic of a woman, Sadyojaat and Tatpurusha’s face is depicted as expressing peace and purity.
Nationally Protected Monument by the Archaeological Survey of India
Ticket Price: None
Visiting Hours: 06:00 AM to 9:00 PM are the hours
Spend Time: 2-3 Hours
Address: Kansua Shiv Mandir Rd, Kansuwa, Kota Industrial Area, Kota, Rajasthan 324004
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Author: Mayuri Tiwari
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Nice details