Now generally dated to about 500 A.D., the probable date of the temple’s construction has been estimated to lie between 450 and 650 A.D by various scholars. Cunningham suggested that the temple could not be placed earlier than 600 CE and later than 700 CE since it contained a Shikhara as opposed to other flat roofed temples from the Gupta period like those at Sanchi or Eran.

During excavations in 1917-18, Sahni discovered an inscription in Gupta shell characters on one of the detached pillars consisting of three lines, one in shell characters and two in Gupta script of which the shell characters’ line read “Sri Govinda” and the Gupta script lines read “Kesavapura-svami-padiya-bhagvata- and Govindasy-edam nama” (This is the name of the illustrious Bhagvata Govinda, votary of the Lord of Kesavapura). As per Sahni, the inscription is in the early Gupta characters and thus the temple should be of the early Gupta period. Banerji, though aware of the Gupta inscription found by Daya Ram Sahni, also dated the temple to 575 CE since his theory of shikhara evolution lay in the later part of the sixth century. Percy Brown assigned the temple to 500 CE, and this dating is agreed by Sahni and Vats.

To be continued....