Stairs leading to the temple, situated on an elevated area. There are stone platforms or benches placed on both sides of the steps to provide a sitting place for the devotees. At the third stone bench, on both sides of the stairs, one can notice a stone tablet of Jaipur Circle, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), indicating it to be a National Protected Site.
There is another stone platform, around a tree, in front of the entrance of the main temple where ancient sculptures of Ganesha, covered in vermilion, a Goddess, and a Nandi are kept. There is another huge sculpture of Nandi in front of the platform, facing the mandapa that displays fine craftsmanship. Ornamentation on the body of the vahana of Shiva is also rendered gracefully. There is a stone stele placed next to the platform which has an inscription engraved that belongs to a later date.
On the left side after reaching the top, is another small shrine situated on a stone platform beneath a thick tree. The deity revered as Hanuman, is covered in vermilion and is worshipped regularly by the devotees.
The east-facing entrance leading to the mulaprasada has a plain and simple base, with a few steps paving the entrance, and a single decorative band at the top. The front façade is plain, with a flanking chhajja supporting the roof. These architectural features are additions made in the 19th century resulting in the present look of the temple.
In front of the temple lies a water tank, seemingly a later addition as indicated by the presence of chhatris installed at its corners. The water level can be reached by steps. There is a raised platform on one side. The tank is used regularly by the locals for different purposes. However, a clear statement is made on the chhatris emphasizing the importance of maintaining the sanctity and cleanliness of this holy tank.
View of the water tank, from the temple, with chhattris on the corners. The chhatris, comprising a square platform with four pillars topped by a cupola, are made of sandstone and are a later addition.
The plan of Bisaldeo Temple consists of a garbhagriha, an antarala, a mahamandapa with lateral transepts and an ardhamandapa. It is a nirandhara prasada. The sanctum is pancharatha in plan and the walls of the sanctum are plain.
The Bisaldeo Temple is referred to as the shrine of Gokarna Deva in its inscriptions. An inscription on a left-hand pillar in the vestibule of the temple, dated 1187 CE (1244 VS), during the reign of Prithviraj Chauhan, refers to the hall of this temple as Shri Gokarna mandapa. Carlleyle had highlighted two more short inscriptions from 1174 CE and 1187 CE (1231 VS and 1244 VS, respectively) on the same pillar and on the left side of the entrance of the temple, which also refers to Shri Gokarna.
Image courtesy: Report of a Tour in Eastern Rajputana in 1871-72 and 1872-73, by A.C.L. Carlleyle
The layout of Gokarneshwara Mahadeva shrine as drawn by A.C.L. Carlleyle, and he described the shrine as ‘…a cave temple, or rather a cave, in which temples or shrines have been built, within a two-storied screen or facing of masonry in the face of the rock, in the side of the mountain at the entrance to the pass, immediately opposite to the town of Visalpur… But apart from the bases of some of the pillars (which appear to be older than the rest), the whole of the structures in the cave appear to be modern…’
Image courtesy: Report of a Tour in Eastern Rajputana in 1871-72 and 1872-73, by A.C.L. Carlleyle
This Shaiva figure was possibly part of a devakostha or sculptural niche placed on the walls of a now-lost Shaiva shrine. It is now housed in the Government Museum, Sikar. The four-armed seated figure holds a trident and a staff in the upper two hands, while the lower two hands are considerably damaged. The figure is ithyphallic, symbolizing the Urdhvareta aspect of Shiva, indicating mastery over the vital energies through ascetic vigour. It is plausible that this image represents Lakulisha, the preceptor of the Pashupata tradition.
Image courtesy: The Government Museum, Sikar