The ruined Dashavatara Temple remains the chief attraction of Deogarh. Even though located in a very remote spot, it is one of India's most magnificent, but least visited temples. Built in the Gupta Period (320 to c. 600 AD), it is the earliest known surviving Hindu temple built from stone with a straight edged pyramid shaped "shikhara (tower)", the existence of which is supported by the existing features of copings and amalakas (a bulbous stone finial) and serves as a good resource for examining Gupta style sculptures and art. The style and plan of this shikhara indicates it’s being quite an evolved version even as it probably remains the earliest known surviving temple which has a shikhara. The temple which faces west with slight deviation to the south enabling the setting sun's rays to fall upon the main idol, is also the earliest known surviving Panchayatana (where a central shrine is surrounded by four corner shrines) temple in North India as fragments of corner shrines were revealed during the excavation carried out by Daya Ram Sahni. Another major importance of Deogarh temple lies in it’s depiction of stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharat, being probably the first such surviving depiction in any temple.

To be continued....