Lakshana Devi Temple, Bharmour

Lakshana Devi Temple
Lakshana Devi Temple
	7th century Lakshana Devi temple, Himachal Pradesh
Religion
Affiliation	Hinduism
District	Chamba district
Deity	Durga, others
Location
Location	Bharmour
State	Himachal Pradesh
Country	India
	Shown within India Lakshana Devi Temple, Bharmour (Himachal Pradesh)
Geographic coordinates	32°26′32.3″N 76°32′14.7″E / 32.442306°N 76.537417°E
Architecture
Style	Gupta era
Completed	c. 7th-century
Elevation	2,135 m (7,005 ft)

The Lakshana Devi Temple in Bharmour is a post-Gupta era Hindu temple in Himachal Pradesh dedicated to Durga in her Mahishasura-mardini form. It is dated to the second half of the 7th-century, and is in part one of the oldest surviving wooden temples in India.^[4]^[1]^[5]

The temple is the oldest surviving structure of the former capital of Bharmour, also referred to as Bharmaur, Barmawar, Brahmor or Brahmapura in historic texts.^[6]^[7] Its roof and walls have been repaired over the centuries and it looks like a hut, but the Himachal Hindu community has preserved its intricately carved wooden entrance, interior and ceiling that reflects the high art of late Gupta style and era. The design and a late Gupta script inscription below the brass metal goddess statue in its sanctum confirms its antiquity.^[6]^[8] The wooden carvings include Shaivism and Vaishnavism motifs and themes.^[9]

^ ^a ^b Mulk Raj Anand (1997). Splendours of Himachal Heritage. Abhinav Publications. pp. 14–15. ISBN 978-81-7017-351-9.
^ George Michell (2000). Hindu Art and Architecture. Thames & Hudson. p. 64. ISBN 978-0-500-20337-8.
^ Omacanda Hāṇḍā (2001). Temple Architecture of the Western Himalaya: Wooden Temples. Indus. pp. 136–138. ISBN 978-81-7387-115-3.
^ Hermann Goetz (1955). The Early Wooden Temples of Chamba. E. J. Brill. pp. 14, 59–65, 75–83.
^ Ronald M. Bernier (1997). Himalayan Architecture. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. pp. 139–142. ISBN 978-0-8386-3602-2.
^ ^a ^b Bernier, Ronald M. (1983). "Tradition and Invention in Himachal Pradesh Temple Arts". Artibus Asiae. 44 (1): 65–91. doi:10.2307/3249605. JSTOR 3249605.
^ Cite error: The named reference asivolxivchamba was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Laxman S. Thakur (1996). The Architectural Heritage of Himachal Pradesh: Origin and Development of Temple Styles. Munshiram Manoharlal. pp. 89–91, 149–150. ISBN 978-81-215-0712-7.
^ Cite error: The named reference Handa2001p138 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Anand1997p14-1] Mulk Raj Anand (1997). Splendours of Himachal Heritage. Abhinav Publications. pp. 14–15. ISBN 978-81-7017-351-9.

[Michell2000p64-2] George Michell (2000). Hindu Art and Architecture. Thames & Hudson. p. 64. ISBN 978-0-500-20337-8.

[Handa2001p136-3] Omacanda Hāṇḍā (2001). Temple Architecture of the Western Himalaya: Wooden Temples. Indus. pp. 136–138. ISBN 978-81-7387-115-3.

[Goetz1955p75-4] Hermann Goetz (1955). The Early Wooden Temples of Chamba. E. J. Brill. pp. 14, 59–65, 75–83.

[Bernier1997p139-5] Ronald M. Bernier (1997). Himalayan Architecture. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. pp. 139–142. ISBN 978-0-8386-3602-2.

[Bernier1983p65-6] Bernier, Ronald M. (1983). "Tradition and Invention in Himachal Pradesh Temple Arts". Artibus Asiae. 44 (1): 65–91. doi:10.2307/3249605. JSTOR 3249605.

[asivolxivchamba-7] Cite error: The named reference asivolxivchamba was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Thakur1996p89-8] Laxman S. Thakur (1996). The Architectural Heritage of Himachal Pradesh: Origin and Development of Temple Styles. Munshiram Manoharlal. pp. 89–91, 149–150. ISBN 978-81-215-0712-7.

[Handa2001p138-9] Cite error: The named reference Handa2001p138 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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