The Maladevi temple next to Gyaraspur is a must-visit because of its intricate sculptures. By Kushan Mitra

There is no typo in the headline over here, the Maladevi temple on the top of a hill next to the town of Gyaraspur is literally carved into the hill. While we might not be able to make much of it by just reading these lines, think about the work by masons and sculptors which went into making such a temple, which today isn’t exactly on the pilgrimage circuit. Gyaraspur is just a hamlet in the middle of verdant fields. The tiny little town lies north of Sanchi although, given the amount of history in the area, it must have been a halt on the road to Sanchi and Vidisha.

The Maladevi temple is remarkable although you cannot enter the sanctum sanctorum because of the effects of age and erosion and, more so, because it is barely visited by tourists. In fact, the rear of the sanctum sanctorum is carved into the hill. Locals travel up the narrow, empty road to see the temple or just get a few moments of privacy. The lower population density of Madhya Pradesh means that history had a higher chance of surviving in the Betwa and Narmada floodplains than they did in the Gangetic plains.

The Maladevi Temple is noted as a Jain temple, dedicated to Adinath, although the intricate sculptures on its walls indicate that at one time it was a Hindu site. This is also a reminder of the religious fluidity between Dharmic religions in ancient and medieval India. But just the very notion that thousands of man-hours were spent by workers without the use of explosives or machine tools to do all this work should blow your minds. If you ever find yourself in Bhopal, like we did during the Great India Drive, the drive to Sanchi, Vidisha and then onto Gyaraspur is a must-visit. The highway to the town is in top-notch condition and the new Hyundai i20 is the best way to reach there.