Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh, India | 8K 360° VR | Fort of the Gods: Dashavatara & Jain Temples

Deogarh means "the fort of the gods", and for more than a thousand years this bluff above the Betwa river was a place where India's sculptors carved gods in stone. Around 500 CE, Gupta-era masters built the Dashavatara temple here — one of the earliest surviving Hindu stone temples — and filled its walls with panels that are landmarks of Indian art: Vishnu reclining on the serpent Ananta, Vishnu rescuing the elephant king Gajendra, the sages Nara and Narayana in meditation. On the hill above, between the 8th and 17th centuries, Jain communities raised 31 temples and some 2,000 sculptures of their tirthankaras, until walls, pillars and gateways were covered in carved figures.

In 360°, stand beside the Dashavatara temple on its broad plinth, then step into a gallery of carved panels gathered from the site. Climb to the Jain temples on the fort hill, among pillared pavilions, carved columns and long walls lined with rows of seated tirthankaras. Then go down to the Betwa: the sandstone cliffs and caves along its banks, and the long wall of the Matatila Dam holding back the river.

#DashavataraTemple #Deogarh #NagaraArchitecture #GuptaEra #HinduTempleArchitecture #360VR #8K360 #VirtualTour