Kiradu Temples is yet another Khajuraho in Rajasthan, which is believed to be a cursed place.
Till date, Bhangarh and Kuldhara were known as the only cities to be cursed places of Rajasthan, however, there is yet another place called Kiradu, situated 35 km from Barmer, which is now a deserted place due to many mysteries surrounding it.
Kiradu, a little far off from Thar desert region, accommodates five temples which date back to 11th century AD. Due to erotic structures of the temple, the locals here call it the Khajuraho of Rajasthan. In fact, it is also called as the mini-Khajuraho of India.
Legend says that anyone staying here in this town at evening hours would turn into a stone. Hence the temples here remain deserted post sunset and no one enters here post evening hours.
History
Kiradu initially was named as Kiradkot, which was a Kirad Rajputs’ kingdom who lived in the 6th century AD. People here were devotees of Lord Shiva as it is seen from the shrines dedicated to the three-eyed deity present here.
A Parmar clan king, known as Someshwar, took the reins of this kingdom in his hand in the 12th century. However the Turushka invaders attacked the kingdom of Kiradu and Someshwar sought the help of a sage who helped in driving out the invaders. One day, the sage took leave from king, but left behind his disciple to take care of the kingdom. During the saint’s absence, the king got disillusioned and forgot to look after the needs of the sage’s disciple.
The disciple went ill, however no one except a potter woman took care of him.
On his return, the sage was angry after knowing about the ungrateful attitude of the king and he pronounced a cursed on the kingdom, saying that the citizens in the city will turn into stone for their lack of humanity! However, he spared the potter woman and warned her to leave the town. She was asked not to look behind. However, the woman turned back and was turned into a stone.
Since then, this superstition has prevented any human being from entering the Kiradu temples after sundown.