#MrikulaDeviTemple in #LahaulSpiti #himachalpradesh

Udaipur is the is the second biggest town in Lahaul after Keylong. The unique Mrikula (Markula) Devi Temple (11th or 12th century) is located just above the bazaar. This Kali temple looks wholly unimposing from the outside with an old looking wood-tiled 'conical' roof and simple walls. However, inside are some beautiful and intricate deodar-wood carvings depicting scenes from Hindu epics. It is believed that the temple was constructed from a block of wood by Pandavas of the Mahabharata famous.

The façade of the shrine, the ceiling and the pillars supporting it are earlier than those beside the window and two western pillars. Scenes from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana epics decorate the temple, while the two door guardians, which are relatively crude, are stained with the blood of sacrificed goats and rams. The wood carvings here are quite similar to those of Hadimba Temple at Manali and some believe it was the work of the same 16th-century craftsman. The silver idol of Kali (Mahisha-shurmardini) is a mixture of Rajasthani, Kashmiri and Tibetan styles with an oddly proportioned body. The carvings inside are exquisite and are reportedly made of ‘Dayar’ wood.

It is a highly revered place and an architectural delight.

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