Laxminarayan Temple
The beautiful Laxminarayan Temple was built circa a.d. 1622 by Vir Singh Deo, but soon fell into disrepair because of inadequate maintenance. The temple was built in honour of Laxmi, the Hindu Goddess of Wealth. Extensively renovated by Prithvi Singh in 1793, the temple has a rectangular plan with four multi-faced projecting bastions at its four corners. Built with lime mortar and bricks, the temple resembles a fort, with slots for cannons to fire at the enemy. In the temple are jali (lattice) windows for letting in a bit of sunlight and fresh air. This may seem quite unusual for a Hindu temple. Carved designs are arranged in a geometrical form in the temple, and below the parapets are vistas of the life and times of Lord Krishna, decorated with patterns of animals and flowers. The inner portion of the temple is adorned with murals that integrate both the Mughal and Bundela schools of painting in a charming mix. The themes are based on Sage Valmiki’s Ramayana, and the poet, Tulsidas’, Ram Charitra Manas.