Deogarh is
situated on the right bank of the Betwa River at the end of the
Lalitpur range of hills. The cliffs, immediately overhanging the
bank rise to a height of 300 feet and form a long steep ridge of red
sandstone. Deogarh is of great antiquarian, epigraphical and
archaeological importance and has figured in the history of the
Guptas, the Gujaras - the Pratiharas, the Gondas, the Muslim rulers
of Delhi, and Kalpi, the Marathas and the British. The thickly
forested hills around Deogarh harbors a variety of wildlife.
The jewel of Deogarh however is in afield by a well close to the
hanks of the Betwa. This is the Dashavatar Temple dedicated to Lord
Vishnu. It belongs to the Gupta period and is dated to about the 6th
century AD. It is the earliest known Panchayatan temple of north
India. It bears an inscription attributable to Govinda, Viceroy of
Malwa and brother ofthe great Kumargupta I. A row of superbly
sculpted panels adorn the terraced basement which rises above the
high plinth of the temple. A doorway with intricately carved figures
of Ganga and Yamuna leads to the garbhagriha or sanctum sanctorum.
The temple is particularly well known for its Rathika panels in
recesses along its three side walls.
These fine stone reliefs depict scenes from Vaishnava mythology, and
are identified as the Gajendra Moksh panel, Nar-Narayan Tapasya
andtheAnantasayi Vishnu. Only the lower portion remains of the
shikhar, once the most important part of the temple.
