The pillars in the mandapa of the Harshnath Temple lack homogeneity and may have been a later replacement. One of them is enriched with beautiful images of apsaras and female deities like Parvati, as seen in this image, within the niches of the pillar. Under these pillar niches are panels depicting musicians, dancers, celestial beings, deities such as Ganesha and ascetics. These Shaiva ascetics align with the overall Shaiva theme of the temple. The image also depicts an ascetic worshipping the shivalinga. A four-armed Parvati is depicted holding a kamaṇdalu and mala in her lower hands and likely flowers in the upper two hands. Flanking her on both sides are attendant dwarfs. Below this scene, an ascetic with long matted hairs is shown in deep adoration to Shiva.
Despite the predominantly Shaiva atmosphere of the Harshnath Temple Complex, there were once multiple Vaishnava temples on the hill. This particular image of Shesashayi Vishnu, or Vishnu reclining on the serpent. It was obtained from Harsha Hill and is now housed in the Government Museum, Sikar. Lord Shesa, likely served as the main cultic image inside a now lost Vaishnava shrine. Atop the image are representations of the nine planets, while Vishnu is attended to by Lakshmi at his feet. Three ayudhapurusa, personification of his weapons, are placed behind him. The reclining Vishnu adheres to standard iconography, wearing a kirita-mukuta, a malavanamala and four arms. In his upper left hand, he holds a chakra, while his upper right hand wields a mace, which also supports his head. His lower right-hand holds a flower, while the left lower hand is broken.
Image courtesy: The Government Museum, Sikar
The ceiling beam in the sanctum depicts an array of warriors marching towards the right on its side, while the lower face of the beam is richly carved with vegetation foliage.
A four-armed Vishnu is depicted seated in the lalitasana posture. He carries a mace and a chakra in his upper right and left hands, respectively, while the lower right and left hands hold a mala and possibly a citron, respectively.
The trio of Ganesha, Surya, and Chandra is one of the several loose sculptures that were affixed on the later structures at the site. The three figures may have once been part of a larger panel depicting the nine heavenly bodies or the navagraha. While the dancing Ganesha is four-armed, the images of Surya and Chandra have only two arms, broken in both cases. The erect uplifted posture, or the samabhanga, of Surya contrasts with the dynamic posture of Ganesha and the tribhanga posture of Chandra. Both Surya and Chandra have broken heads but can be identified through the boots of the former image and the depiction of a crescent behind the neck of the latter.
Close to the Harshnath Temple complex lies the Bhairon shrine featuring a semi-iconic rock revered locally as the Harsha Bhairon. He is believed to be a manifestation of the folk hero, Harsha, who decided to settle at the hill to worship Shiva. He is believed to have been blessed by Shiva to be worshipped as Bhairon on the hill. Several 10th-century CE sculptures are fixed on the walls of this complex. Today, the Bhairon shrine is the epicentre of pilgrimage to Harsha Hill and is considered as the family deity of several local communities.
A figure of Uma Maheshwar inside a niche. Shiva is seated in the lalitasana posture, while Parvati is comforted in his lap. It is affixed on a late structure.
The loose architectural fragments in front of the Harshnath Temple include a pillar with a band of dancers and musicians, a four-armed image of Shiva, which was once part of a devakostha niche, featuring a snake and a trident in the two hands above and another niche of smaller size depicting Bhairav holding a sword and a skull-headed spear.