Eran

A historic place situated in the heartland of India which has the distinction of being the regional capital of the emperors of Gupta dynasty. Due to its special geographical location, Malwa on one side can be considered as the entrance of Bundelkhand on the other. There is a rich history of "Eran", popularly known as Swabhognagar during the time of Emperor Samudragupta.

In Eran, a developed form of idol-making tradition from the first century BCE to the pre-medieval and post-medieval period is obtained. The main cultural ruins of Eran can be seen on the southern bank of the Bina River. These temple groups of Eran belong to Lord Vishnu and his avatars.

These temples built during the Gupta and early Hunas are built in a simple way. It has a flat roofed sanctum sanctorum and small pavilions based on four stone pillars. In this complex of Eran, the 13-feet-high Vishal statue of Lord Vishnu is revered in the Mahavishnu Temple. This Mahavishnu temple was built by Samudragupta, according to scholars, its construction period is believed to be from 500 to 550 AD. This Mahavishnu temple at Eran shows an evolving plan of temple construction. A statue of Vishnu is installed in the center of the sanctum sanctorum, the face of this statue is partially fragmented.

A human statue of Garuda is erected on the flag pillar installed in front of the temple in the temple. In this statue, Garuda is holding a serpent in his hands, from which it is speculated that the Gupta rulers who followed the Vaishnavism were ruled by the Nagavanshis, who were defeated and the Gupta rulers spread their territory in Eran. This Garuda pillar still stands here in its original form.

Eran has been an important part of the history of Madhya Pradesh from the early phase of the historical period to the 18th century. Ancient large statues and temples located at Eran hold a special place in Indian construction art. 'Eran' under Bina tehsil may be a common village today but in ancient times it had the distinction of being a special place of India. But at one time this 'Swabhog Nagar' of Emperor Samudragupta, rich in splendor and opulence, is presently still looking for development and a proper identity.

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