Pratapeshwar Temple: Khajuraho

 The Pratapeshwar Temple stands apart from the ancient, sculpted wonders of Khajuraho. Built in the 19th century—a full six centuries after its famous neighbours—it offers a unique study in contrast, representing the very last significant monument erected at this UNESCO World Heritage site. Commissioned by Raja Pratap Singh, this structure defies the classical Chandela style, instead presenting a striking architectural fusion that blends the traditional Hindu Nagara plan with the prevailing Bundela and Indo-Islamic aesthetics of the era.

The Pratapeshwar Temple, Khajuraho: A 19th-Century Memorial

The Pratapeshwar Temple is a highly distinctive monument located in the Western Group of temples at Khajuraho. Depending on the route visitors take, it may be the first or the last temple encountered on the complex’s circular path. Its true significance lies not in antiquity but in its status as the newest and last significant structure built at the site, approximately six centuries after the great Chandela temples. 

Front elevation

History and Patronage

The temple was established in the early to mid-19th century (c. 1816–1854) by Pratap Singh, the second Raja of the Chhatarpur princely state, which flourished under the British Raj. This relatively modern construction provides a stark timeline contrast to the 10th- to 12th-century Hindu and Jain temples for which Khajuraho is famous.

The Pratapeshwar Temple, a 19th-century Bundela structure and the last significant monument built in the Khajuraho Western Group.

Unique Architectural Fusion

The Pratapeshwar Temple is markedly out of character with the prevailing Chandela period architecture. It showcases the extraordinary shift in architectural skills and tastes over 600 years, moving from the sophisticated, highly sculpted style of the earlier temples to a simpler, fused design.

Indo-Islamic Influence

The monument lacks the fluid, sensual sculpture that epitomizes the classical Khajuraho style. Instead, its design is much more in common with Bundela-period architecture, such as that found at Orchha, which readily drew inspiration from contemporary Sultanate, Rajput, and Mughal structures.

The temple is an interesting conglomeration of three architectural styles, specifically a memorial monument that fuses the traditional Hindu Nagara-style shikhara with the lower and mid-sections characteristic of Indo-Islamic architecture (chhatris, arches, and domes).

The "mountain range" of domes and shikharas, highlighting the distinct dome-like, pyramidal, and Nagara-patterned towers of the mandapa, sabha-mandapa, and garbha-griha.

Exterior Features

In elevation, the most salient feature is the division of the vertical space into two distinct registers separated by a wide, wrap-around chhajja (eaves).

• Lower Facade: The walls are simplified and plain, lacking the typical Chandela ornamentation or sculptures. They are organized as a series of repetitive triple archways rendered in plaster. As per Islamic design influence, the walls are wide (about 18 inches) and include arched niches called Mehrab.

• Upper Structure: The roof presents a veritable "mountain range" of domes—one ribbed, another horizontally banded, and a third, pine-comb shaped—along with a medley of ornamental chattris and kiosks at the corners.

• Shikhara Differentiation: The shikharas (towers) of the temple's three main sections—mandapa, sabha-mandapa, and garbha-griha—each display unique designs. The mandapa is topped by a dome-like shikhara, flanked by two miniature domes at the frontal corners. The sabha-mandapa features a pyramidal shikhara, surmounted by a small amalaka and kalasha. The main shikhara over the garbha-griha follows the classic Nagara pattern, diminishing towards the top and crowned by a comparatively larger amalaka and kalasha. This main tower is also surrounded by several miniature shikharas.

Miniature Shikharas The smaller tower forms surrounding the main shikhara

Sabha-Mandapa Shikhara The mid-sized pyramidal tower in the center of the elevation.

Mandapa Dome/Shikhara The dome-like structure over the front hall (Mandapa), flanked by two miniature domes.

• Art: The plain walls originally featured paintings of natural elements and floral motifs, such as peacocks, using natural colors. These elements were also characteristic of Islamic influence and reflected a loss of interest and expertise in stone carving among contemporary artisans.

Example of the plain exterior wall, potentially showing remnants of painted floral motifs and peacocks (instead of classical Chandela sculpture).

Interior Plan

Despite the strong external influences, the temple retains a conservative approach to its overall layout, harkening back to the classical Nagara-style plan.

• Layout: The longitudinal plan comprises a front mandapa (hall), a medial sabha-mandapa (assembly hall), and the innermost garbha-griha (sanctum sanctorum). Each chamber is progressively more sacred.

• Sanctum: The structure is a Shiva temple, and the stuffy, barely illuminated innermost garbha-griha houses a polished black Shiva Lingam.

• Shikhara: The main shikhara over the garbha-griha follows the traditional Nagara pattern, diminishing towards the top and capped by an amalaka and kalasha. This crowning element is particularly reminiscent of the fantastic chhatris seen at Orchha.

Nagara Shikhara (Main): The tallest, diminishing tower over 

the Garbha-griha (sanctum), topped with the amalaka and kalasha.

Modern Status and Controversy

Despite its prominent location, the structure was often omitted from Khajuraho guidebooks for decades due to a unique post-independence legal and political history.

• Sealing and Dispute (1956): Following the States Reorganisation Act of Madhya Pradesh, the monument was sealed in 1956 for nearly sixty years. The sealing occurred because some Muslims claimed it was an Islamic monument; however, the presence of the Shiva Lingam inside the sanctum denied their claim.

• Legal Limbo: As the temple fell into a grey limbo—neither officially recognised nor actively protected by the central government as a major Khajuraho property—it received no funding for its preservation.

• Reopening (2016): The situation only changed in 2016 when the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officially took over the property, recognised its cultural significance, and reopened it to visitors.

In essence, the Pratapeshwar Temple is a monument of transition, reflecting the shifting tastes, available skills, and political currents of the 19th-century princely states. Its fusion of Rajput chhatri elements, Sultanate arches, and a classical shikhara makes it a vital, albeit unconventional, chapter in Khajuraho's architectural narrative. After decades of being obscured by legal controversy and sealing, the temple's takeover by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 2016 finally restored its recognition, ensuring that this compelling memorial to a later era is preserved and appreciated alongside its ancient predecessors.