Bhojeshwar Temple, Hindu temple in Bhojpur village, India.

Bhojeshwar Temple is an unfinished Hindu temple in Bhojpur village, Raisen district, standing on a stepped stone plinth. Its red sandstone facade has a 33-foot-high doorway framed by two thick pillars and a projecting cornice, with a small domed pavilion on four pillars to the left. The sanctum holds a 7.5-foot lingam built from three superimposed limestone blocks, 17.8 feet in circumference, set on a 21.5-foot square platform.

Construction began in the 11th century under the Paramara king Bhoja, whose reign included 1035 CE, the date inscribed on a Jain temple in Bhojpur bearing the same mason's marks as this shrine. Kirit Mankodi places the work in the later part of Bhoja's reign, around the mid-11th century. The site was abandoned abruptly for unknown reasons, and the reservoir it faced was drained in the 15th century when Hoshang Shah breached two of its dams.

The temple walls display carved architectural plans that reveal how Indian craftsmen worked centuries ago. These records show the techniques and knowledge that builders passed down through generations.

The shrine attracts many visitors during the Maha Shivaratri festival, when thousands gather for prayers and cultural performances. Plan to visit at less crowded times if you prefer a quieter experience.

The unfinished blocks left in the quarries north and east of the temple, and the remains of a sloping ramp built to haul carved slabs uphill, show how the site was supplied. A Jain temple in Bhojpur carries the same mason's marks and an inscription dated 1035 CE, which helps date this shrine to Bhoja's reign.