English: The Mohajmata temple is one of the temple ruins found in Terahi village. It is likely from late 9th to mid 10th-century.

It is notable for its profusely carved beautiful torana (arched entrance, gateway) that stands in front of the original temple. The artwork on the torana include Vishnu and his avatars such as Varaha and Balarama, a Harihara (half Shiva, half Vishnu), Ganesha, Kartikeya, Parvati, Hayagriva, Brahma, Saptamatrikas, and others. Additionally, the artwork includes vedic legends such as the samudra mandthan and scenes from the Hindu epics.

The temple had a mukhamandapa, antarala and a garbhagriha. Much is lost, including the sikhara. Of what survives, the temple has a pancharatha plan (a bhadra, two prati-ratha, and two karna). The upper band of the outer wall has goddesses in warrior, fearsome mood. The lower band also has goddesses and human females in compassionate, artistic moods. The sanctum doorway is flanked by Ganga and Yamuna goddesses, the lalatabimba has a beheaded goddess, flanked by two more beheaded goddesses. On the top of the lintel are nine dancing goddesses. The temple was clearly dedicated to the Hindu goddess (Shaktism) tradition.

Background:

Terahi (Terāhī, तेरही) is an important historic site and a village in Shivpuri district of north Madhya Pradesh. It was called Terambhi, likely after the Hindu scholar Terambhipala who lived here. He built temples and an important Shaiva monastery for the Mattamayura school of Kadambaguha tradition. Terahi is mentioned in inscriptions and is about 15 kilometers from Category:Kadwaya, Madhya Pradesh – another Mattamayura site.

Terahi is near another important Hindu site named Mahua (Mahuwa), to the north. Mahua has ruins of three additional important temples. The inscriptions and ruins discovered in this region suggest that this region had Hindu monasteries by about the 6th-century.

Terahi – sometimes misspelled as Terai – preserves the ruins of one Hindu monastery and two temples, all from 9th and 10th-century. Like Kadwaha, the monastery and temples of Terahi suffered significant damage after Delhi Sultanate invaded central India.

For additional scholarly discussions see:

• Himanshu Prabha Ray (2022), Monasticism and the Hindu temple, in The Routledge Handbook of Hindu Temples
• Tamara Sears (2014), Worldly Gurus and Spiritual Kings: Architecture and Asceticism in Medieval India, Yale University Press
• Tamara Sears (2009), “Fortified Maṭhas and Fortress Mosques: The Transformation and Reuse of Hindu Monastic Sites in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries,” Archives of Asian Art, Vol 59