Believed to have been built in 1002, the Vishvanath Temple is reached by steps on the northern and southern sides. Elephants flank the southern steps. Vishvanath anticipates Kandariya-Mahadev, with which it shares saptamattrikas (seven mothers) flanked by Ganesh and Virabhandra, and is another superlative example of Chandelan architecture. Its sculptures include sensuous surasundari writing letters, cuddling babies and playing music while languishing more provocatively than at other temples.
At the other end of the platform, a 2.2m-long statue of Nandi , Shiva’s bull vehicle, faces the temple. The basement of the 12-pillared shrine is decorated with an elephant frieze that recalls similar work on Lakshmana’s facade.
