The historical roots of the Rajiv Lochan Temple extend back to the 7th and 8th centuries AD, a period of significant cultural and religious flowering in the Dakshina Kosala region. An ancient stone inscription found within the temple premises credits its construction to King Vilasatunga of the Nala dynasty. The Nalas were a powerful local power that ruled parts of modern-day Chhattisgarh and Odisha, and their patronage of Vaishnavism is immortalized in this stone marvel.
Over the centuries, the temple has witnessed the rise and fall of various regional powers, including the Kalachuris and the Marathas, who contributed to its maintenance and added minor structures to the complex. The temple survived the tumultuous periods of medieval invasions largely due to its somewhat secluded location in the river valley.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was documented by colonial archaeologists who were stunned by the preservation of its intricate carvings, leading to its current status as a protected monument of national importance managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
