Matot is located in Chakwal district on the way between Choa Saidan Shah and Kalar Kahar. Malot has a fortification wall built during Lodi period. After crossing the settlement, one reaches the open plane on the summit of the Salt Range. Here, one can find an impressive temple and gateway built in red sandstone. This is the only temple in the entire Salt and Kisor which has been constructed in this material.
The layout planning of temple precinct is quite different from others but the planning of the temple itself is quite similar to other temples. The temple has originality in the architectural treatment which represents the existence of superior order of craftsmanship at Malot at that particular time. The temple precinct consists of central shrine one the west and gateway on the east, similar to Matrand temple in Kashmir.
The temple is 18 feet square from the interior, with a vestibule as an entrance porch on the east facing the gateway. The ae two semicircular fluted plasters, supporting the trefoil arch of the opening, and on each side of the inner door opening there is a smaller pilaster of the same kind with a similar trefoil arch.
The temple of Malot is quite different in form from other temples. Alexander Cunningham described this temple as; “The only remains of any antiquity at Malot are a temple and gateway in the Kashmirian style of architecture. They are built of a coarse sandstone of various shades of ochreous red and yellow, and many parts have suffered severely from the action of the weather, the surface having altogether crumbled away…The temple is a square of 18 feet inside, with a vestibule or entrance porch on the east towards the gateway. The gateway is a massive building…divided into two rooms…On each side of these rooms to the north and south there are highly decorated niches for the reception of statues, similar to those in the portico of the temple. These niches are covered by trefoil arches which spring from flat pilasters. Each capital supports a statue of a lion under a half trefoil canopy. The roof is entirely gone; but judging from the square shape of the building, I conclude that it must have been pyramidal, outside with flat panelled ceilings of overlapping stones.”
Trefoil arch and its developed form, the cinquefoil arch, both as architectural member and decorative design have been extensively employed in the temples at Kisor and Salt Range. R. C. Kak comments on the influence of the Buddhist art of Gandhara on that of Kashmir, ‘so great was it that it would be more correct to say that ‘excepting the natural and unavoidable difference in the material used, the two are practically identical.’ Like the pedimented arch, the trefoil arch also finds its origin to Gandhara, for example Takht Bhai Stupa and monastery’ the Ali Masjid Stupa.
Naqoosh-e-Javidan 