Chaurasi Khamba

Chaurasi Khamba is an ASI-protected heritage monument in Kaman, Rajasthan, featuring 84 intricately carved pillars. Originally an 8th-century Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva, it was later partially converted into a mosque in the 13th century. The structure showcases remarkable stone carvings including bas-reliefs of Navagrahas, Vishnu incarnations, and deities. Located west of Kaman township in Bharatpur district, it represents layered religious history and architectural synthesis.

Visitors can explore an ancient pillared structure with 84 carved stone columns displaying intricate Hindu temple artwork including floral medallions, kalasha finials, and figurative panels of deities like Vishnu, Shiva-Parvati, Ganesa, Kali, and Narasimha. The site features a mihrab niche indicating its later use as a mosque, flat roofs, and Arabic inscriptions around the entrance doorway. The monument stands in a quiet setting within the historic town of Kaman, offering insights into the region's layered religious and architectural heritage.

Originally built circa 8th century CE as a Hindu temple during the Surasena rulers' period when Brahmanism and Jainism prospered in Kaman. The structure was later repurposed in the late 12th/early 13th century after 1196, with parts converted into a mosque featuring a mihrab niche. It bears resemblance to the Ukha Masjid at Bayana. The monument is protected under ASI Act No. LXXI of 1951 dated November 28, 1951, and is listed as a centrally protected monument.

The number 84 holds deep significance in Vaishnav tradition, representing both the count of incarnations a soul cycles through before achieving moksha and the length of the Braj parikrama pilgrimage circuit. Kaman is considered Adi-Vrindavan (proto-Vrindavan) in Braj tradition. The structure demonstrates architectural synthesis between Hindu temple traditions and Islamic mosque construction, with reused Hindu temple stonework visible throughout.