Lakshman Temple, the first brick temple in the country, is located on the banks of the
Mahanadi River, in
Sirpur of
Chhattisgarh. Dedicated to
Lord Vishnu, it was built in the sixth century by Vasata - the widow queen of Harsha Gupta of Somvansh. The temple consists of a square sanctum roofed by a slightly curvilinear massive Shikhara.
A historic shrine, Lakshman Temple is a Panchrath type temple with Garbha Grih (main house), Mandaps, Antraal (passage) and exquisite carvings. An eye-catching feature is the entrance, noted for the statue of Sheshnaag serving as an umbrella to Lord Vishnu.
The images of several incarnations of Lord Vishnu have been exquisitely sculpted on the either side of the entrance, prominent being Vaishnava Dwarpal and the depiction of Krishna Leela in ornamental symbols.
A 1,500-year-old floor was unearthed during the renovation of the foundation of the shrine. A museum, established by the Archeological Survey of India, is within the temple premises.
