The Kocheshwar Shiv Temple in Gaya. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, Oct. 7: Widely believed to have been constructed in the 8th century AD, the Kocheshwar Temple, located 25km northwest of Gaya, may be of older origin.

The date rethink is based on the architectural style used in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

If taken in totality — the sanctum sanctorum and the super structure together — the style of construction is similar to that of other temples in other parts.

“The sanctum sanctorum of this temple has a vaulted roof. Similar architectural style is found in the rock-cut Barabar caves and in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple at Bodh Gaya which are of older origin,” said S.K. Manjul, the superintending archaeologist, Bihar circle, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

While the temple at Bodh Gaya was originally constructed during the Mauryan period (322-185 BC), as has been the opinion of some experts, the Barabar caves built in the 3rd century BC.

Incidentally, experts who worked extensively for finding out the period of construction of the Kocheshwar temple had reported the presence of the vaulted shape roof in the sanctum sanctorum. But they didn’t take into account this factor and their analysis was based on the super structure of the temple in which the curvilinear style of architecture, which has its origin the post-Gupta period.

“One cannot rule out the possibility that this super structure was put up at a much later date whereas the sanctum sanctorum of the temple was in the place right from an earlier period,” said Manjul.

He also said that even if the Kocheshwar temple did not date back to the Mauryan period, one has to take into account the construction period of temples having similar architecture — vaulted shape roof of the sanctum sanctorum and curvilinear shape of the super structure.

“The temple at Bodh Gaya in Bihar, Laxman temple at Shirpur in Chhattisgarh and Bhitargaon temple near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh have similar architecture and their origin is between 5th and 7th centuries AD. The Kocheshwar temple, having similar architecture and more plain decorative style, should have its date of origin at least in the same period or may be even earlier,” Manjul said.