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.
The shrine of Harsha Bhairon is now an epicentre of spiritual activities at Harsha Hill. This late medieval structure has an enclosure wall, upon which sculptures are affixed both inside and outside.
The four faces of Vaikuṇtha Vishnu representants its four emanations or vyuha, namely Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. The side faces are that of a boar and a lion, characteristic of Vaikuntha’s iconography. He is depicted seated in the lalitasana posture. The architectural fragment is now housed in the Government Museum, Sikar. This important image of Vaikuntha Vishnu reveals the presence of the Pancharatna form of Vaishnavism at Harsha hill. Pancharatna had spread to various regions of Rajasthan from the 8th century CE onwards, with its most notable manifestations in temples like the Harshatmata Temple of Abhaneri. This image signifies its influence, albeit in a limited manner, up to the region of Shekhavati. The niches on either side depict damsels and musicians. The four faces of Vaikuntha Vishnu representants its four emanations or vyuha, namely Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. The side faces are that of a boar and a lion, characteristic of Vaikuṇtha’s iconography. He is depicted seated in the lalitasana posture.
Image courtesy: The Government Museum, Sikar