The temple is notable as one of the early examples of an architecture that included an enclosed concentric pradakshina-patha (circumambulation path).

Like other early Gupta era Hindu temples, it includes a decorated entrance to the sanctum flanked by Ganga and Yamuna goddesses, and intricately carved sculptures.

[2][7] The temple's Ekamukha Linga, a mukhalinga or faced lingam, with a detailed head of Shiva, is a much studied example of Gupta art.

The temple reliefs include those for Mahishasura-mardini (Durga), Ganesha, Brahma, Vishnu, Yama, Kubera, Kartikeya, Surya, Kama and others.

[11][12][13] The much studied Bhumara image of Ganesha with Sakti sitting in his lap was acquired by the Boston Museum of Fine Arts in 1920s and is now there.

[17] The archaeologist Alexander Cunningham visited the Bhumara site to confirm local reports of Thari pathar (standing stone) during his 1873-1874 tour of the Central Indian region.

He found the stone and the important Bhumra inscription which he published, but he missed the temple that was then mostly covered by forest of shrubs and mango, haritaki and amalaka trees.

They aimed to check out the local villager claims of many temple ruins on the plateau and the northern face of the hills.

They reported it to be small single cell structure with a slab roof near an unusual soil mound, and that the temple's door was "magnificently carved".

Among these were a chaitya-window shaped panel with a circular medallion and the sculpture of Ganesha, jumbled remains of mandapa and temple parts.

[25] A pillared open porch (mandapa) is set before it, so the initial impression of the temple appears roughly similar to ones in Tigawa and Sanchi.

[27] Among the most important artefacts of Bhumara is a Shiva-lingam with a bust relief of the dy which occupies almost the entire height of the lingam.

The Indian archaeologists visiting Bhumara temple around 1920 discovered a somewhat damaged ekamukha linga embedded within a stone pavement in the sanctum.

[28] The Bhumara excavations have yielded numerous sculpture, broken pieces of walls and statues, as well as ruined parts of the mandapas.

[29] It had river goddesses Yamuna (reasonably preserved) and Ganga (broken), but to their immediate vicinity the stone was smooth, unlike the sanctum doorway.

[29] Portions of broken lintels found lying around the site show figures of erotes, in the same style as one finds in the ancient Khoh temples.

Musicians, dancers, seated groups of men or women, animals, flowers and other scenes are set in medallions.

[31] Recovered wall panels of the Bhumara Shiva temple show Vishnu's Narasimha avatar blowing a conch shell, Krishna and others.

[32] Other significant finds include those of Nataraja, Ganesha, single face Kartikeya, Surya, Durga in her Mahishasura-mardini form,[33] Brahma, Indra, Yama, Kubera, Kama and others.

It is the earliest known temple that shows "Ganesha and Shakti" together, where the goddess Vinayaki sits in his lap and he holds a bowl of batasas or modakas (sweets) in his left hand.

[9][35] The Bhumara temple is notable for being an early illustration of Shaivism iconography and its inclusion of Vaishnavism and Shaktism themes.