Maladevi Temple, Vidisha

Maladevi Temple in Vidisha can be found in a picturesque location on the slope of a hill. The view of the valley from the temple is mesmerising. The temple is located on an enormous platform cut out on the side of the hill, leaving the tourists to wonder at the brilliance of the architecture of this temple. The temple has an entrance porch, a hall and a shrine. The sanctum sanctorum has a statue which is considered to be of a Jaina Tirthankara.

Again, this idol could be a statue of Buddha because it does not have any symbol typical to the 24 Tirthankaras. There is also a circular passage and a lofty Shikhara. The Shikhara is intricately and painstakingly carved out to form an awe-inspiring sight in itself. The intermingling of the Jain Images and the dedication blocks to a goddess, suggest that the temple was previously dedicated to a goddess before it was appropriated by the Jain community.