Thal Monolithic Temple is situated 156 km north-east of
Almora town, on the banks of river Banaganga. Among the local populace, this place - which was discovered in 1916 - is known as Ek Hathia Deol.
The temple, resting on a rocky platform, was carved out of a huge quartzite rock. Two parallel cuttings - each three feet wide - separate the shrine from the rock. The 20 feet high rock, which supports the temple, still bears marks of chiseling – a project the artisan could not complete.
The architecture of the temple shows a definite inclination to the style that is found in the Khajuraho temples. The main shrine has a portico in the front, supported by two pillars. A Shivling, carved out neatly from the original rock, is the presiding deity here. It has been lodged in the Garbh Griha. An interesting feature of the temple is the extension of the rathas on the Sikhara or the pinnacle beyond the griva or neck. Another noteworthy aspect is the recess between the Jangha and Sikhara, which is displayed nicely with the beam heads resembling that at the Navadurga temple at Jageshwar. The roof of the mandapa is domical with a step pattern. An image of a squatting lion is placed on it, on the Sikhara corbel. There is a water tank carved out of the rock, situated at the foot of the temple. One can reach there by descending a few steps from the temple.
