English: This is a 14th to early 15th century Hindu temple in Mahasamund district of Chhattisgarh. The temple is significant for its inscription that describes that a cobbler named Devpala – son of Sivadasa, grandson of Jasau – built this temple for Narayana. In modern sociology, cobblers are classified as Dalit (formerly untouchables). The significance of this temple is therefore that, at least in the 14th to 15th century, the leather workers were relatively wealthy and educated to sponsor a temple with a poetic inscription, that one of them named Devraj was dedicated to the Shiva and Vaishnava Hindu traditions, and that the royalty and society accepted a temple built by a cobbler. Furthermore, the temple mentions the reign of Hindu kings in eastern Chhattisgarh from the Yadav dynasty, a period just before Delhi Sultanate conquered and assassinated this dynasty in Devagiri – its capital in Maharashtra. This temple was first photographed and published in 19th century scholarly publications by Beglar and Cunningham, the inscription translated by Keilhorn.

The temple is similar to the Jagannath temples found in Odisha, Jharhkand, Bihar. Made from stones, the outer walls and pillars are plain. The entrance has Ganesha, the sanctum has the Jagannath triad (in the 19th century, Beglar noted that the complex is in ruins and one shrine had a Shiva linga in it). The main temple faces east. The temple is moderate size and very graceful. The base is moulded, while the shikhara is of Nagara-style. The temple includes a mukhamandapa, a mahamandapa, an antarala and a garbhagriya – all with a square plan. The notable artwork include Ganesha, Ganga and Yamuna. The inscription is now preserved in the archaeological museum of Raipur.

Overview:

Khalari, also referred to as Khallari or Khartti or Khalvatika, is a major Hindu pilgrimage site with many temples. The site is mentioned in pre-10th century regional Sanskrit manuscripts. Among its many temples, the Jagannadh temple, the Mahamaya temple, the hilltop Khallari mata temple and the lower Khallari mata temple attract the pilgrims most. Inscriptions suggest that Khalari was a Shiva, Vishnu and Shakti tradition pilgrimage site.

For a scholarly report on Khalari temples and ruins in the 19th century, see Beglar and Cunningham (1878), Report of a Tour in Bundelkhand Malwa 1873-74 and in the Central Provinces 1873-74, ASI Report Volume VII, pp. 156–158.

For the Khalari inscription, see F. Kielhorn, Epigraphia Indica Vol 2, pp. 228–231.