Icons & idols: Dashavatara temple at Deogarh

The Dashavatara temple at nearby Deogarh and the huge standing Varaha statue in the Udaygiri caves in Madhya Pradesh are two cases in point. Both date to the Gupta period and both are classic examples of the iconography that was used to depict the incarnations of Vishnu. That the Dudhai Narasimha would belong to this period can only be taken as a logical conclusion though research will continue in an effort to find a more precise date.

Going beyond the statue, Dudhai remains an interesting place. Though a nondescript village today, it must have been a significant place once given the number of temples around the area as well as the grandeur of their architecture. The most significant site comprises a set of Hindu and Jain temples with awe inspiring iconographic detailing on each structure.

An impressive ���Varaha��� ��� the wild boar incarnation of Vishnu ��� stands in the middle of the site as if guarding it. Nearby is what locals call the ���akhara��� or wrestling pit. But it���s anything but that: it has the remnants of a circular Shiva temple, quite like the temple I found earlier in Mitaoli, in Morena district, MP.

The cattle-track drive to Dudhai earlier in the day was partly through a forest road built in the British era. There were times when the track became so bad that I thought of turning back. But I soldiered on; I was glad I did. The Narasimha needs to be talked about.

Time has taken a harsh toll and the impact of rainwater has blurred the outlines of the statue in places. Quarrying is happening nearby. There is a point till which isolation is splendid and for the Narasimha, that point is long over. At the end of the day, an icon needs to be respected.