Mandole Temple

This temple is located 40 km south of Hajira along the bank of river Poonch and approached by Dhar Bazar to Mandol road. Important measurements are, 1)width of the main entrance and door of the temple:2.08 m; 2)preserved height from top stair level: 10 m; 3)height of platform 1.5 m; 4)length from east to west: 30; north to south: 20. Temple is lying on the side road, in the valley, right in the center of rice fields. It is square in plan with a courtyard and built on a platform. Entrance is towards the east side, built up of large stone slabs with mud pilasters inside and outside as well. There are pointed arches on all three sides at their exterior surface. There are indications of pit in the center of main temple, which suggests that illegal excavations have been done. Temple is partially destroyed i.e., its moldings and carvings have developed cracks, defaced and hardly there are the remains of lime plaster on exterior and interior of the temple. There is no proper use of the site now days and it is abandoned, although its courtyard is in use for agricultural purposes. Clay oil lamps have been collected from temple. The site needs immediate protection and further probing through proper archaeological excavations. Important measurements, 1)width of the main entrance and door of the temple: 2.08 m; 2)preserved height from top stair level: 10 m; 3)height of platform 1.5 m; 4)length from east to west: 30, north to south: 20. It is tentatively assigned to the 7 th-8th century CE.