Modhera sun temple by Smriti Prasad

MODHERA SUN TEMPLE

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Map of Gujarat MODHERA AHMEDABAD

Modhera is 102 km away from Ahmedabad Transporta?on-‐ State Transport Buses/private vehicle Travel dura?on-‐ about 2.5hrs

HISTORY of MODHERA SUN TEMPLE • The Sun Temple was built by Raja Bhimdev I of Solanki Dynasty in AD 1026. • Solankis were considered to be Suryavanshis, or descendants of Sun god. • The temple was so designed that the ﬁrst rays of the sun fell on the image of Surya, the Sun God, at the Nme equinoxes. • The temple is parNally in ruins aQer it was also ﬁnally destroyed by the Allauddin Khilji. • However, enough has remained of the temple to convey its grandeur. •  The Modhera sun temple is situated on the bank of the river PushpavaN.

ARCHITECTURE •  The brilliant architecture of the temple is one of its own class. •  The temple encompasses three diﬀerent yet axially-‐aligned and integrated consNtuents •  Erected on a high plaXorm, the Temple appears majesNc with its grand structure. • The exterior walls are engraved with intricate carvings, boasNng about the mastery of art in those Nmes. •  Every single inch of the structure is covered with the sculptural paYerns of Gods, Goddesses, birds, beasts and ﬂowers. •  Actually, the Sun Temple is divided into three parts namely Surya Kund, Sabha Mandap and Guda Mandap.

SURYA KUND EV: 0 ISO: 100 f: 7.1 s: 100

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Surya Kund is a deep stepped tank in the front of the temple. The tank was named aQer the Lord Surya (Sun God). In the earlier Nmes, this 100 sq meter rectangular tank was used to store pure water. The devotees used to take a halt here for ceremonial abluNons before moving towards the temple. Not less than 108 shrines mark the steps of this tank including the shrines dedicated to Lord Ganesha, Lord Shiva, Sheetala Mata and many others. In front of this tank, a huge 'torana' (archway) leads to the Sabha Mandap.

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GODS and GODESSES

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SABHA MANDAP

This hall of religious gatherings is a magniﬁcent pillared hall. It is open from all sides and has 52 intricately carved pillars. The carvings depict various scenes from the Hindu epics of Ramayan, Mahabharata and Krishna Lila (i.e. story of lord Krishna). Between the Sabha Mandapa and the sanctum sanctorum is a beauNful hall with pillars and arches, whose facade has been renovated and parNally redone, and the walls have 12 niches showing the diﬀerent aspects of the Sun God in each month.

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GUDA MANDAP

EV:0 ISO: 100 f: 16 s: 60 This is also called the main temple or the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. It is based on a lotus-‐base plinth. It was designed such that the rays of the rising and sedng sun on the day of equinox, fell on the bejewelled idol built by the Solanki Rajputs in honour of their ancestral God. It was plundered by Mahmud Gazni.

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P I L L A R S EV: 0 ISO: 100 f: 7.1 s: 80

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CEILING

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RELIEFS and MOTIFS

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REMAINS

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