The field season 2018-19, the study of religious Landscape and architecture of Singrouli and Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh has been taken up under the direction of Dr. Madhulika Samanta, assisted by Sri Rajesh Kumar Mehar, Sri Sanjay Shrivastava, Sri K.R. Malaviya, Shri Rahul Patel, Sri Jagadish Chouhan, Sri Kapil Patel and Sri Sanjay Raikwad

Introduction:

During the course of the field season 2018-19, the Phase II of the work the team of the Temple Survey Project (North) exposed temples at Nagwa village. During the course of this survey the team came across the chance discovery of temple remains and an extensive habitation belonging to the started in around 3rd-4rth century CE and ended by 10th-11th century CE.at the village of Nagwa. In addition to these, the team could locate six other mounds of temples and a habitation site of the period mentioned above, whose antiquity certainly goes back to the first few centuries of the Common Era. Two more sculptures of Vishnu and Brahma of the same period from the region. After the clearance of debris from the temple complex, these three temples and another temple mound as well as associated religious structures were studied and documented.

Objectives of the Survey:

• To identify and document temple structures at Nagwa.
• To analyse architectural styles and determine historical timelines.
• To study associated artefacts, sculptures, and building materials.
• contribute to heritage conservation and enhance knowledge of regional temple architecture.

Discoveries: The Temple Complex

A temple complex containing three temples of two different phases on the eastern bank of the Dharia nullah at the foothills of Nagwa. The largest temple is of Vishnu (with the idol mentioned before) has been found at the southern side of the complex. On the basis of the associated remains, the style of the sculpture unearthed, location of a similar styled temple already dated at the nearby village of Madfe Danda, the current temple complex has been dated to the 6th-7th centuries of the Common Era. It is a plain brick built garvagriha adjoined by an ardha-mandapa. The entire structure is facing east. The temple was built with bricks joined by surkhi mortar (mainly). The Vishnu image mentioned before was erected inside a plain garvagriha of brick, and raised on a stone platform of grey sand stone. The Shiva temple (Temple No.2) of the temple complex, lying to the north of the Vishnu temple, has been identified on the basis of a grey sand stone yoni-peetha discovered at this place. To the north of it exists another smaller Vishnu temple with a long pranala, the presiding deity of the temple has been identified on the basis of a Vishnu torso in grey sand stone found nearby. Both these temples beings to the third phase of building activity. Both these temples are surrounded by a boundary wall on all sides. Temple No.3 is also triratha in plan with an oblong entrance and a long pranala to its north.
Apart from above the team was also able to discover and documented three rock cut caves near the site with inscription and Idols of Brahma, Vishnu and a Shiva Linga.