Archaeologists in the Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh have unearthed the ruins of a significant 10th-century Sun Temple built during the reign of the Kalachuri-of-Tripuri dynasty. The temple platform is exceptionally large and features two massive stone wheels, or Sudarshana Chakras, carved with intricate floral and geometric motifs. These wheels represent the chariot of Surya and suggest that the temple was a precursor to the grander solar architecture found later in Odisha.
The excavation has also yielded several high-quality basalt sculptures, including figures of the seven horses of the Sun and the goddesses Usha and Pratyusha. These findings indicate a high level of artistic patronage and the presence of a specialized guild of sculptors in the region. The state archaeology department has started documenting the site's unique planetary friezes and plans to reconstruct the main mandapa using the recovered stone segments.