The valleys of Betwa and Bes, in Madhya Pradesh the central state in India, have cradled, since time immemorial, great centers of culture and civilization. Gyaraspur, which is now just an obscure village in a gorge of low steep hills, in one of the valleys, had been such a center. The place abounds in relics and ruined temples belonging to Saivism, Vaisnavism, Buddhism and Jainsm. Ancient relics and monuments such as Maladevi Temple, Hindola Toran, Bajramath, Athakhamba, Buddhist stupas, Katarmal Bhairav and renowned sculpture of the nymph Salabhanjika speak a lot about the architectural and artistic splendor of Gyaraspur. These monuments and sculptures are of great interest to historians of culture and art. They did attract the attention of archaeologists and historians in the past, and stray mentions of them appeared in Archaeological and administrative reports but no serious studies have so far been done. The present author, who is an administrator by profession but a historian and archaeologists by choice, has tried to convey, in this work, something new, the truth about the monuments in relics and ruined temples belonging to Saivism, Vaisnavism, Buddhism and Jainism. Describes in vivid detail the architectural remains and sculptures of Gyaraspur in central India, throwing light on the philosophy, psychology and eco-social environments inspiring the creation of these monuments.
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