The Markandeshwar Temple (Markanda) group stands on the bank of the Wainganga river in Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra, a cluster of old stone shrines that most visitors to Vidarbha have never heard of. Sculpted wall to wall and watched over by the Archaeological Survey of India, it rewards travellers who do not mind a long drive through the interior of eastern Maharashtra.
The Markandeshwar Temple (Markanda), in Markandadeo village of Chamorshi tehsil, Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra, is a cluster of Nagara-style Shiva temples on the Wainganga river. Often called the “Khajuraho of Vidarbha”, it is a monument of national importance under the Archaeological Survey of India, roughly 40 km from Gadchiroli town.
Key takeaways
- The group originally had 24 temples, of which six survive today, according to Maharashtra Tourism.
- The shrines are built in the Nagara style of north Indian architecture and are dated on stylistic grounds to roughly the 9th–12th centuries CE (Maharashtra Tourism cites the 8th–12th centuries).
- Best season is October to March; Mahashivratri (February or March) draws the largest crowds and a fair, per Maharashtra Tourism.
- The nearest railway station is Mul (about 25 km); the nearest airport is Nagpur. The site is about 40 km from Gadchiroli town and 65 km from Chandrapur, per the Gadchiroli district administration.
- The ASI’s Nagpur Circle has been conserving the complex since 2016–17; as of 26 February 2025, press reports said about two more years of work were expected.
- No ticketed entry has been reported; the main Markandadeo shrine remains a living Shiva temple.
About the Markandeshwar Temple (Markanda) group
The Markandeshwar Temple (Markanda) is a group of sandstone shrines in Markandadeo village, on the left bank of the Wainganga river in Chamorshi tehsil, Gadchiroli district. The main shrine is dedicated to Shiva, worshipped here as Markandadeo. The complex is distinct from the unrelated Markandeshwar temple in Odisha and from other Markandeya shrines elsewhere in India.
Maharashtra Tourism records that the group once held 24 temples and that six remain. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) manages it as a monument of national importance through its Nagpur Circle. Travellers often pair a visit with the wider Maharashtra travel circuit, though Markanda sits well off the usual tourist routes.
The nickname “Khajuraho of Vidarbha” comes from the dense carving on the main temple: according to local press reporting, almost every surface is sculpted with geometric designs, foliage, mythical animals and divine figures, and the walls carry three horizontal bands of statues. The Dasavatara shrine in the group depicts Vishnu’s ten incarnations.
The temples are dated on stylistic grounds to roughly the 9th–12th centuries CE; Maharashtra Tourism cites an 8th–12th century span, and a widely edited Wikipedia entry attributes construction to the Rashtrakuta dynasty. The original builders are not firmly documented, so treat any single dynasty attribution with caution.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Markanda is October to March, when eastern Maharashtra is cool and dry, according to Maharashtra Tourism. Summer in Vidarbha is extreme, and the monsoon leaves the Wainganga full and the approach roads wet, so winter is the clear choice for photographing the carvings.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Winter | October–March | Pleasant, dry days; the recommended window for travel and photography. |
| Summer | April–June | Very hot; Vidarbha regularly ranks among India’s hottest regions. Carry water and avoid midday. |
| Monsoon | July–September | Humid, green surroundings and a full river; Shravan-month rituals draw local devotees. |
If you want the atmosphere of a festival, time your trip for Mahashivratri (February or March), which Maharashtra Tourism says draws thousands of devotees, night-long prayers and a large fair. Expect crowds and plan transport and stay well ahead.
How to reach Markanda
Markanda is reached by road via Chamorshi, with the nearest railhead at Mul and the nearest airport at Nagpur. The Gadchiroli district administration lists the village as 40 km from Gadchiroli town, 25 km from Mul, 65 km from Chandrapur and 184 km by road from Nagpur. Buses run year-round from Nagpur, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli to Chamorshi, from where you continue to Markanda.
| Mode | Nearest point | Approx. distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air | Nagpur airport | About 220 km (the district page also gives 184 km by road to Nagpur city) | Nagpur has the region’s main flight connections; hire a car or take a bus onward. |
| Rail | Mul (nearest); Chandrapur (better connected) | Mul about 25 km; Chandrapur about 65 km | Chandrapur station links to Nagpur, Hyderabad, Delhi, Chennai and beyond (Wikipedia). |
| Road | Chamorshi, then Markanda | 40 km from Gadchiroli; 65 km from Chandrapur | State-transport buses year-round from Nagpur, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli (district administration). |
Press coverage gives the Nagpur distance as about 190 km, close to the district figure for the road to the city. The district page’s “220 km to the nearest airport” and “184 km to Nagpur” figures are inconsistent, so budget for roughly a four-to-five-hour drive from Nagpur and confirm your route locally.
The temples and what to see
The main draw is the Markandadeo shrine, a Shiva temple whose exterior is covered in carving. Local reporting names several other shrines in the cluster, including Nandikeshwara, Mrityunjaya, Yamadharma, Dasavatara and the Mrikunda Rishi temple, varying in size and state of repair.
| Highlight | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Markandadeo (main shrine) | The living Shiva temple; carved walls in three horizontal bands of figures, the source of the “Khajuraho of Vidarbha” tag. |
| Dasavatara temple | Panels depicting Vishnu’s ten incarnations; square pillars that reporting says show armed figures. |
| Nagara shikhara | The curvilinear north-Indian spire; the main shrine’s shikhara was partly lost to a lightning strike about two centuries ago. |
| River setting | The Wainganga bank below the temples, with ghats being developed as part of the tourism plan. |
According to early records by Alexander Cunningham, lightning struck the main shrine’s shikhara and mahamandapa roughly 200 years ago, partly collapsing the spire. Gond-era rulers later repaired the hall with heavy piers and arches, work that was not done to modern conservation standards. You will see sculpted fragments laid out around the complex as part of the ASI’s documentation.
Allow one to two hours to walk the cluster slowly. Because conservation is ongoing, some structures may be fenced or scaffolded, and access to parts of the group can change without notice.
A suggested one-day plan
Markanda works best as a day trip from Chandrapur, Gadchiroli or Nagpur, since there is little formal accommodation at the village itself. A practical plan:
- Early morning: Leave Chandrapur or Gadchiroli so you reach Markanda by mid-morning, before the heat and while the light is good for the carvings.
- Mid-morning: Darshan at the Markandadeo shrine, then a slow circuit of the group, looking for the three bands of wall sculpture and the Dasavatara panels.
- Midday: Walk down to the Wainganga bank and the ghats; carry water and a hat.
- Afternoon: Return via Chamorshi; if you started from Chandrapur, you are within reach of the wider Chandrapur–Tadoba belt for the next day.
If you are coming from Nagpur, treat Markanda as a long full-day outing or an overnight based in Chandrapur.
Where to stay
There is no significant tourist accommodation at Markandadeo village, so most visitors base themselves in Chandrapur or Gadchiroli and travel in for the day. Chandrapur, the larger town, has the widest choice of hotels and better road and rail links.
- Budget (indicative ₹800–₹1,800 a night): Simple lodges and guesthouses in Chandrapur and Gadchiroli town.
- Mid-range (indicative ₹1,800–₹4,000 a night): Standard business hotels in Chandrapur.
- Higher-end: Resorts in the Tadoba–Chandrapur belt serve the tiger-reserve market and can be combined with a Markanda visit.
These bands are an indicative planning estimate as of October 2026 and should be reconfirmed when you book, as this is a thin market with few rooms. Festival dates around Mahashivratri fill up early.
Food nearby
Expect simple Vidarbha and Maharashtrian food rather than a restaurant scene; carry snacks and water for the temple itself. In Chandrapur and Gadchiroli you will find everyday Indian meals and some regional dishes.
- Varhadi thali (the spicy Vidarbha-style plate, often hotter than western-Maharashtra food).
- Zunka-bhakar (a gram-flour preparation with millet or jowar flatbread), a common local staple.
- Poha and misal (flattened-rice breakfast; a spiced sprout curry) at town eateries.
Vegetarian food is easy to find. There are limited options right at the village, so plan a meal in Chamorshi or your base town.
Budget for a day trip
A day trip to Markanda is inexpensive apart from transport, since there is no entry ticket reported and little to spend money on at the site. The table below is a planning estimate for two people travelling from Chandrapur by hired car, as of October 2026; reconfirm all figures.
| Item | Indicative cost (₹) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Return car hire, Chandrapur–Markanda | 2,500–4,000 | About 130 km round trip; rates vary by operator and season. |
| Temple entry | 0 | No ticketed entry reported. |
| Meals and water for two | 400–800 | Simple meals in Chamorshi or Chandrapur. |
| Offerings and small expenses | 100–300 | Optional. |
| Approx. total | 3,000–5,100 | Lower if you travel by state-transport bus. |
Travelling by bus via Chamorshi cuts the cost sharply but takes longer and needs more planning around timings.
Permits, timings and rules
No special permit is required to visit Markanda: it is an ordinary temple and ASI monument reached on public roads, so standard domestic travel rules apply. There is no Inner Line Permit or park permit involved.
Official opening hours are not published on the tourism pages, and no entry fee has been reported; as a living Shiva temple, the main shrine is generally accessible through the day for darshan. Because the ASI is actively conserving the group, treat any fenced or scaffolded structure as off-limits and do not climb on the carved stone. Dress modestly, as at any functioning temple.
Standard ASI rules against defacing or touching sculpture apply at monuments of national importance. If you plan photography beyond personal snaps, or any drone use, check with the on-site ASI staff and local authorities first.
Practical tips
- Plan transport both ways. This is a remote part of eastern Maharashtra with limited public transport beyond the main bus routes; fix your return before you set out.
- Carry cash. Card and reliable UPI coverage can be patchy in the interior; keep small notes for buses, autos and offerings.
- Mobile network. Signal can be weak around the village, so download maps offline before you leave Chandrapur or Gadchiroli.
- Go early. Morning light suits the carvings and you avoid Vidarbha’s afternoon heat.
- Health. The nearest full hospitals are in Chandrapur and Gadchiroli town; carry basic medicines and water.
- Solo and women travellers. The main bus routes to Chamorshi are used year-round; travel in daylight and keep to the established roads.
Nearby places
Markanda pairs naturally with the forests and towns of the Chandrapur–Gadchiroli belt. Distances below are approximate; confirm on a map before travelling.
| Place | Approx. distance | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Mul (Chandrapur district) | About 25 km | Nearest railhead; a convenient road junction on the way in. |
| Gadchiroli town | About 40 km | District headquarters, with hotels and bus links. |
| Chandrapur | About 65 km | The region’s main town; gateway to the wider Tadoba–Andhari tiger country. |
| Chaprala Wildlife Sanctuary | About 85 km (Maharashtra Tourism estimate) | Riverine forest on the Wainganga, notified in 1986. |
For planning a longer loop through the region, see the broader Maharashtra travel guide.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Markandeshwar (Markanda) temple located?
The Markandeshwar Temple (Markanda) is in Markandadeo village, Chamorshi tehsil, Gadchiroli district, in eastern Maharashtra, on the left bank of the Wainganga river. The Gadchiroli district administration lists it about 40 km from Gadchiroli town, 65 km from Chandrapur and 184 km by road from Nagpur.
Why is Markanda called the Khajuraho of Vidarbha?
Markanda is called the “Khajuraho of Vidarbha” because its main Markandadeo shrine is densely carved. Local reporting describes almost every surface sculpted with geometric designs, foliage, mythical animals and divine figures, and the walls carrying three horizontal bands of statues, recalling the famous Khajuraho temples of Madhya Pradesh.
How do I reach Markanda temple?
Reach Markanda by road via Chamorshi. The nearest railway station is Mul, about 25 km away, and the nearest airport is Nagpur. State-transport buses run year-round from Nagpur, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli to Chamorshi, from where you continue to the village; a hired car from Chandrapur is the simplest option.
What is the best time to visit Markanda?
The best time to visit Markanda is October to March, when eastern Maharashtra is cool and dry, according to Maharashtra Tourism. Summer is very hot and the monsoon makes travel harder. For festival atmosphere, Mahashivratri in February or March draws large crowds and a fair, but needs early planning.
Is there an entry fee, and is the temple open during the ASI restoration?
No entry fee has been reported for the Markanda temples, and the main Markandadeo shrine remains a living Shiva temple open for darshan. However, the Archaeological Survey of India is actively conserving the group, so some structures may be fenced or scaffolded and access to parts of the complex can change.
How old are the Markanda temples and who built them?
The Markanda temples are dated on stylistic grounds to roughly the 9th–12th centuries CE, with Maharashtra Tourism citing an 8th–12th century span. The original builders are not firmly documented; a widely edited Wikipedia entry attributes construction to the Rashtrakuta dynasty, so treat a single attribution with caution.
Last updated and sources
Markanda suits travellers who care about temple architecture and don’t mind a long drive into eastern Maharashtra; go in the cool months, October to March, and ideally pair it with Chandrapur. It is a slow, rewarding half-day rather than a polished tourist stop.
Last updated: 28 October 2026. Fees, timings and permits change — reconfirm with official sources before you travel.
Sources: Maharashtra Tourism, Markandeshwar temple page (maharashtratourism.gov.in); Gadchiroli district administration (gadchiroli.gov.in); The Hitavada reports on the ASI restoration, 2021 and 2025 (thehitavada.com); Punekar News on the ASI conservation, 2019 (punekarnews.in); Incredible India, Chaprala Wildlife Sanctuary (incredibleindia.org); and the Wikipedia entry “Markanda Mahadev, Chamorshi” (en.wikipedia.org), used to locate primary sources. Accessed September 2026.
