Teli Ka Mandir, Gwalior is one of the favored destinations in the city of Gwalior. It is the tallest and the most impressive temple in the Gwalior Fort. It is an amalgamation of northern and southern architectural styles. Situated in the city of Gwalior, Teli Ka Mandir has a special position in the tourism map of the country.
Gwalior city houses an illustrious fort called the ‘Pearl in the Necklace of the Castles of Hind’, within the precincts of which the Teli Ka Mandir is situated. The place was an ancient seat of Jain worship and has one of the best fortresses of the Hindu period. The region was earlier known as Gopasetra from where Gwalior came into being.
Teli Ka Mandir in Madhya Pradesh is a towering structure of about 100 feet. It is has unique architectural style and resembles a Prathihara Vishnu temple.The shape of the roof or Shikhara can be easily discerned as Dravidian and the embellishments are distintively Indo Aryan. The decorations are of the Nagara Style, a well known art form of Northern India. The complex of Teli Ka Mandir, Gwalior is filled with figures of river goddesses, coiled serpents, amorous couples and a flying Garuda, the vehicle of Lord Vishnu.
History:
There are many theories as to how Teli Ka Mandir in Gwalior in India, got its name. One of the views is that Govinda III of the Rashtrakuta dynasty occupied the Fort of Gwalior in 794 and appointed the Telang Brahmins to look after all religious ceremonies.The temple acquired it’s name from them only.
Another viewpoint says that Teli Ka Mandir was constructed by the members of the Teli caste (oil merchants). While another group of persons are of the view that the name came from the Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh suggesting a blending of North Indian and Dravidian architectural styles.
