Chandreh
Chandreh, also spelled Chandrehi or Chandrehe, is a village in Rampur Naikin block of Sidhi district, Madhya Pradesh. Located near the confluence of the Son and Banas rivers, it is known for its 10th-century Shiva temple and monastery. As of 2011, Chandreh has a population of 1,823, in 370 households.
Geography
Chandreh is located 1.6 km east of the confluence of the Son and Banas rivers, and about 24 km southwest of Sidhi, the district headquarters.History
The earliest evidence of human habitation at Chandreh consists of archaeological from the early and middle Neolithic period.In the 10th century, there was a wave of construction at Chandreh linked to the Shaivite sect known as the Mattamayūra. These include a temple to Shiva, an adjoining monastery, and an irrigation tank and a well. An inscription in the monastery identifies it as being built in March 973, on the orders of the Mattamayūra leader Prabodhashiva. The temple was constructed by Prabodhashiva's predecessor Prashantashiva sometime earlier in the century.
The temple is made of sandstone and has a rather unique design, featuring a high raised foundation, a chaitya-like floor plan, and a shikhara decorated with a gavaksha motif also reminiscent of chaityas. The monastery has two levels and is also made of sandstone.