Deogarh

Deogarh stands above the Betwa River amid the hills of Bundelkhand. Its great Vishnu shrine, known as the Dashavatara temple, dates to the Gupta age and bears finely carved panels of Hindu mythology. A fort crowns the hill nearby, enclosing a remarkable group of Jain temples and sculptures reached by stone paths from the river.

The Jain sanctuary grew over many centuries, from the early medieval period into the seventeenth century. Images of the Tirthankaras, votive tablets and pillars filled the temples, testimony to generations of patrons and craftsmen. The fort and its sacred sites passed through the hands of several powers, including rulers of Delhi and Kalpi and later the Marathas. Their changing authority left Deogarh’s older monuments standing above the Betwa, where the steep ghats descend to the water.