Devrani and Jethani temple is
one remarkable historical place in
Chhattisgarh. It is located in Tala region of Chhattisgarh. These two
temples are located just adjacent to each other. They owe their names to their
dimensions. One of the temple is slightly bigger and is christened Jethani
meaning elder sister in law while the other one is relatively smaller and is christened
Devrani. These temples have been named so by the villagers of the surrounding
region.
Devrani Temple is a smaller
temple which faces towards the east direction. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, there
is a Maniyari river that flows towards back end of the temple. It has a
phenomenal ground plan and the size of the temple is 75x32 feet. Inside the
temple you will find a Garbhagriha, a vast open space after which there is a
narrow mukhmandapa that can be reached after taking a small flight of steps
with huge Chandra shila. Inside the temple, you can find a number of sculptures
of different Gods and Goddesses from the Hindu mythology. Further, there are
cravings of mythical figures, Demi Gods, floral depictions, animals along with
a plethora of geometrical and non geometrical motifs. Amongst all these
cravings and sculptures, there is one which is of prime importance which is the
RudraShiva. It is believed to be a one of a kind
structure. This mythological structure is enormous and has a height of 2.70
meters.
Jethani temple is also
dedicated to Lord Shiva. It however faces the southern direction. Though, the
temple is only partially exposed, you can clearly see its ground plan. It
comprises of a Mandapa and sanctum in the front. The temple has three entrances
from three different sides – west, east and south. If you go past the main
entrance of the temple, you’ll have to take a wide flight of steps. The
surrounding areas of the temples are beautifully adorned by several types of
motifs and murals. It is a precious cultural site and is definitely worth to be
included in the list of World Heritage.
Location: Talagram, Bilaspur