Modhera Sun Temple near Ahmedabad
This temple is located at Modhera village of Mehsana district by the side of Pushpavati river. This was build by Solanki ruler Bhola Bhimdev I in the year 1083 Samvat ( 1027 A.D) . This is one of the best example of Solanki's type of temple in Gujarat.
Modhera village is located at 25 KM from Mehsana and 100 KM from Ahmedabad. Mehsana is located on State Highway connecting Ahmedabad .
Tourist while travelling to Mount Abu or returning from Abu visit this sun temple.
If you are travelling from Ahmedabad to Mount Abu then while going you can see Ambadevi temple and on return from Mount Abu you can take NH route and visit Sun temple at Modhera.
There are three parts of this Sun temple.
Surya Kunda
This looks like a step well but bigger in size. This pond in front of the temple is also known as Ram Kunda by locals. This rectangular well measuring 52.6 x 36.6 meter is the first part of the sun temple. There are several platforms and steps are there to reach water level.
There are four large temple in Suryakund.
Temple of SheshShayee lord Vishnu in the east.
Temple of Shitala Mataji in the South.
Temple of Lord Nataraja in the North.
Temple of Ganpati is by the side of Shitala Mata and further many small temple and idols of Vaishnava religion.
Kirti Toran
After bathing in the Suryakund while going up for Darshan of Sun god on the way there are two large Poles. These poles displays the respect and glory won by the state. Hence these poles are named as Kirti – Toran or prestige , Respect and glory Arch.
On further passing the Kirti Toran devotees enter into a court gallery constructed by 52 pillars. These pillars are decorated with incidents of Ramayana and Mahabharata.
There are statues of 12 postures of Sun god . Here inside the gallery devotees sing devotional songs and dance. This is connected to main sanctum by a stone path
The main temple
In the main temple pillars are constructed with carvings of sexual amorous acts. Lord Sun idols are there in every corner of the main temple.
There was the idol of Lord Sun with Chariots pulled by Seven horses.
There are two secret underground constructions believed by the people that one connects to Siddhipur and other to Patan.
There is a entry fee of Rs 5 /- for adults .
Still camera is allowed free of charges but video camera is charged.
There is a museum maintained by Archaeological survey of India.
This article is written by go2india.in team.
Be the first to post comment on this article :
go2india.in