WMLTomoko1917594 at 12:23, 11 April 2026

2026-04-11T12:23:57Z

New page

{{Use Indian English|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Kalayat Ancient Bricks Temple Complex
| image = Brick Temple Complex, Kalayat, Kaithal, Haryana, India 11.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Haryana#India
| map_caption = Location in Haryana
| coordinates = {{coord|29|40|28|N|76|15|17|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| native_name =
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Haryana]]
| district =
| location = [[Kalayat]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = [[Hinduism]], [[Shiva]], [[Katyayini]]
| festivals=
| architecture =[[Gurjara-Pratihara Dynasty|Gurjara Pratihara Style]]
| temple_quantity = 3
| monument_quantity= 2
| inscriptions =
| year_completed = 8th century
| creator =
| website =
}}

The '''Kalayat Ancient Brick Temple Complex''' is a ruined brick temple complex north of Delhi, is located in [[Kalayat]] town in [[Kaithal district]] of the state of [[Haryana]], India. It comprises the several [[Hindu temple]]s, including two ancient temples dating from the 8th century.<ref name=Ref1>{{Cite web|url=http://haryanatourism.gov.in/showpage.aspx?contentid=5234|title= Ancient Brick Temple|access-date=2014-11-22|publisher=Government of Haryana Tourism Department}}</ref> This temple constitutes an important point in the series of [[48 kos parikrama of Kurukshetra]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://kurukshetra.nic.in/bulkdata/pdf/tirthalist.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=16 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305091416/http://kurukshetra.nic.in/bulkdata/pdf/tirthalist.pdf |archive-date=5 March 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Tradition avers that the temples are associated with the [[Shalivahana]] ([[Raja Sálbán]]).<ref name=asin1>Monuments & Sites in Haryana, Archaeological Survey Of India, page 34-35.</ref>

==History==

The name Kalayat appears to be derived from "Kapilayatana", which translates to the "home of [[Kapila|sage Kapila]]". According to local legends, in ancient times, five brick temples were located beside the holy tank. However, only two temples now survive. These temples are built in the [[Gurjara-Pratihara]] style, and can be dated to 8th century CE. One of the two surviving temples has undergone heavy modifications.<ref name=Ref1/>

==Temple complex==

The temples were built in [[Hindu temple architecture#Nagara architecture|Nagara style]] of [[Gurjara-Pratihara#Gurjara-Pratihara art|Gurjara-Pratihara School]]. The layout of the temples indicates there were originally five temples in the [[Panchayatana (temple)|Panchayatan]] group on the banks of holy ''Kapilayatna'' [[Tirtha (Hinduism)|Tirtha]] (water tank). In the [[Panchayatana (temple)|Panchayatan]] the main shrine was surrounded by four subsidiary shrines, which is contemporaneous to the temples of [[Khajuraho Group of Monuments|Khajuraho]] and [[List of temples in Bhubaneswar|Bhubaneshwar]]. Locally made red bricks were the main source of material for the buildings and sculptures. They were built without using any plaster or mortar. Only two temples survive. One temple is a [[Shiva]] temple in the [[Pancha Rathas]] style with a [[Linga]] statue and snake statue.<ref>[http://www.hoparoundindia.com/haryana/kalayat-attractions/brick-temple.aspx Kalayat temples]</ref> Temples have a square-shaped shrine of the carved bricks joined without any mortar. The bricks in the [[sikhara]] are joined to form beehive patterns similar to the facade of the [[Indian rock-cut architecture|rock-cut]] [[chaitya]] hall of [[Ajanta Caves|Ajanta]] or [[Ellora Caves|Ellora]]. This style of sculpting evolved from the [[Gupta Empire|Gupta]] (4-6th century CE) and post-Gupta architecture.<ref name=asin1/>

There are stairs at the back leading to the [[Kapila|Kapil Muni]] Tirtha comples, where pilgrims take a bath before worship,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://portofcall1.blogspot.com/2014/03/kalayat-in-haryana.html |title=Kalayat in Haryana |access-date=22 November 2014 |archive-date=6 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106211727/http://portofcall1.blogspot.com/2014/03/kalayat-in-haryana.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The pond is named Chyavan Giri Kund after another [[Vedic]] sage [[Chyavana]] who regained health and youth by consuming [[Chyawanprash]] (made by Raj[[Vaidhya]] [[Ashvins|twin Ashwini Kumar brothers]]) at his [[Ashram]] on [[Dhosi Hill]] near [[Nuh (city)|Nuh]] in [[Mewat district]].

{{anchor | Katyayini}}
There is also a temple of [[Katyayini]] devi who was the daughter of [[Sanskrit grammarian]], [[mathematician]] and [[Vedic]] Sage [[Kātyāyana]].

There is also a [[Hanuman]] temple and [[Akhara]].

==Access==
[[Kalayat]], where the temple complex is located, is connected by road. Rail and air links are available in the nearby major cities such as [[Chandigarh]] and [[Delhi]].

Its distance from other major cities is as follows: [[kaithal]] 30 km, [[Jind]] 52 km, [[Kurukshetra]] 77 km, [[Hisar (city)|Hisar]] 90 km, [[Fatehabad, Haryana|Fatehabad]] 90 km, [[Panipat]] 95 km, [[Sirsa, Haryana|Sirsa]] 133 km, [[Chandigarh]] 150 km, [[Ludhiana]] 159 km, [[Delhi]] 193 km, [[Dehradun]] 222 km, [[Shimla]] 250 km, [[Amritsar]] 287 km, [[Dharamshala]] 368 km, [[Agra]] 393 km and [[Khajuraho]] 820 km.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/karnail/sets/72157604312033470/ Flicker Pictures Of Kalayat temples]
* [http://asichandigarhcircle.in/photo_walk_image.php?gall_name=Ancient%20Brick%20Temple,%20Kalayat Kalayat temple images from ASI website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129054717/http://asichandigarhcircle.in/photo_walk_image.php?gall_name=Ancient%20Brick%20Temple,%20Kalayat |date=29 November 2014 }}

{{Hindu temples in Haryana}}
{{Haryana}}

[[Category:Gardens in India]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Haryana]]
[[Category:Shiva temples in Haryana]]
[[Category:8th-century Hindu temples]]
[[Category:Kaithal district]]

Kalayat Ancient Bricks Temple Complex - Revision history

WMLTomoko1917594 at 12:23, 11 April 2026