Chaturbhuj temple gwalior

Madhya Pradesh , Gwalior, Bhopal

The Chaturbhuj temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is located on the eastern road to the Gwalior fort. It was believed to be built by the grandson of Nagarabhatta in the year 875 AD during the period of Pratiharas. Many Sanskrit inscriptions are engraved on this Monolithic temple. Among the inscription is the first recorded representation of zero where it is written as a dot.

Legend

It was built in 875 A.D. This temple was built by Alla, the son of Vaillabhatta and grandson of Nagarabhatta. The stone inscription near the deity in the temple has the first ever recorded or written form of zero. Hence, the Chaturbhuj shrine is also called the temple of Zero.

Architecture

Situated in the Gwalior fort is the small shrine of Lord Vishnu, which is a rock cut monolith. It is richly carved, has a pyramid shikara and contains numerous inscriptions. The stone inscription near the deity in the temple has the first ever recorded or written form of zero. As the idol of Vishnu has four arms, it is called Chaturbhuja temple. The face of Vishnu is defaced but the hands can be seen.

Darsan Info

There is an entrance fee to the fort

Darsan Dresscode

Any comfortable dress can be worn inside the fort.

Culture

Gwalior is a major city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Rich in history and heritage it is famous for its forts including the Gwalior Fort built by the Tomar dynasty. Gwalior trade fair is a major tourist attraction.