Survaya ki Garhi (Archaeological Site) 10th century — Attraction in Surwaya

Located off the Shivpuri – Jhansi Road is the Survaya ki Garhi. It is an ancient fortress which housed a Hindu monastery in the olden days.

We visited on a Monday morning; the ruins were empty of crowds then. After parking our car, we entered via a circuitous route through stone walls. This was followed by a path in between two gardens and having a board that talked about the Garhi.

The monastery & the temples were built first. The monastery also had an ‘overall auspiciousness’ temple on its roof. The fortress was built later, in the 11th-12th century, presumably to protect the monastery & the temples.

As per the inscriptions, the monastery was linked to the Shaiva sect. it was originally a two – storeyed building though the upper storey now survives only partially. The Scindias renovated it when they ruled over these parts.

The whole premises are built out of stone. While there is no ticket, you do have to make entries into a register. The temples are three in number. Though all of them have lost their ‘shikhar’ now, they are still sights to behold.

The most prominent one was the Shiva Temple. This ancient Temple is lovely with its carvings worth seeing. In front of it, broken pieces that were excavated, but which could not be put together, are displayed on the ground, giving the viewer a sense of what architecture existed then.

To the right of the Shiva Temple are a stepwell & an elevated platform. Bougainvillea plants, with their gay flowers, completed the picture perfectness of the Garhi.

We then explored the monastery, climbing also onto its first floor. The stairs are narrow & steep; so, caution has to be exercised. The first floor gave a stupefying view of the premises. The ground floor had small, dark rooms around a sunlit courtyard.

The Survaya ki Garhi does need proper roads leading up to it. A cleanliness drive is required too as the penultimate areas are splashed with cow dung.

Even though it’s maintained by the ASI, it can be really puckered up to attract more sightseers, like having guides or more...

This is a treat to the historically inclined and a great place to reflect over the great heritage of our culture. The fort has high boundary walls, more or less intact, made of brick work. A deep moat surrounds the fort. The entry to the fort is a classical "dog leg" form with double u bends and two large doors. Ramparts and a bastion provides possibilities of showing stuff defense. The second gate is flanked by twin platforms with probable guard houses. The area inside is divided into two sections. The outer section shows evidence of extensive living quarters arranged about a central street or pathway. One can study the layout of these structures, the platforms, drainage systems etc. A wall separates the two sections and a big arched doorway allows entry into the inner monastery. The monastery itself is a two storied structure with a central courtyard surrounded by rooms. Stone pillars are used to support the upper storey Three temples and a step well are also present. Temple 1 has a shiv ling installed in the sanctum. Exquisite sculptures with great workmanship adorn the exterior. Sculptures of various gods from the hindu pantheon like uma maheswara, brahma, ganesha are depicted. Several panels show couples in different poses of deep love. Temple 2 and 3 have no idols in their sanctum, but the external stone work with motives similar to temple 1 make them fascinating. There is a sculpture of vishnu as seshasayee in a small relief on the way down the step well. One can easily spend a few enjoyable hours...

Survaya Ki Garhi validates India’s resplendent past in many ways. As the name Shivpuri suggests, the town is named after Lord Shiva, an Indian deity. Temples from ancient India are a regular sight in and around Shivpuri. With modern developments around the city, it is easy to feel like a tourist in Rome when every turn leads to an ancient relic right alongside modern buildings.

20 km outside of Shivpuri, close to the Shivpuri–Jhansi Road, lies the small town called Survaya Ki Garhi. A serene lake adds to the old world charm of the small town. An ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is located in the town, making it historically significant.

While the art and architecture of the temple are awe-inspiring, the Garhi is truly a sight to behold. The Garhi is an auditorium completely built out of stone. Echoes of dance recitals and musicals from a time long ago still linger in...