Kankaleshwar Temple, Ancient Hindu temple in Beed, India.
Kankaleshwar Temple is a Hindu shrine in the town of Beed, in the Indian state of Maharashtra, built on a raised platform at the center of a large square lake. The structure is made entirely of black stone and has an octagonal shape, with columns and a domed roof decorated with carved geometric rings.
The temple was built under the Yadava dynasty in the early 13th century, a period when stone craftsmanship in the Deccan region was at a high point. Its architectural style bears a resemblance to the work seen at the Ellora Caves, which were shaped during earlier centuries not far from this area.
The outer walls carry carved figures of women warriors from the Chalukya period, which visitors can observe up close as they walk around the platform. Seeing these figures on a Shiva temple is not common in the region, and it gives the site a character unlike most other shrines nearby.
Arriving early in the morning gives visitors more time to look at the carvings before the site fills up, and the light at that time of day is better for seeing the stone details. Getting to the temple means crossing the lake, so shoes that can handle wet surfaces are a good idea since the path can be slippery.
The entire structure was carved and built on a single rock that rises out of the lake, with no separate foundation underneath. This means the black stone of the platform and the temple above it come from the same continuous mass of rock.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
