Modhera Sun Temple: Timeless Architecture

All things in the ecosystem enjoy aesthetic and spiritual values, as I realised on a recent trip to Sun Temple in the small village of Modhera in the Mehsana district of Gujarat. Marked by lush landscapes, and exotic carvings farther than the eye could see, this temple allows a wide-angle peek into the ancient history that speaks volumes of its era through its fine architecture, art and craftsmanship. While Gujarat is home to 100 sun temples, Modhera Sun Temple is a mythological masterpiece that is an ode to a spectrum of art and artists who assembled a diverse collection of sculptures in honour of the sun god, Surya. 

What was once the pride of the Chaulukya era is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is open to the public for sightseeing purposes.

Modhera Sun Temple: Introduction

The surreal landscape of this impressive temple complex is sure to take you away from the prosaic of daily lives. In ancient rather Puranik India, Surya (Sun) temples were the royal court used for elaborate religious ceremonies be it, prayers or sacrifices. While most of these sun temples are now in ruins, sub judice to invasions, some of them have been excavated and restored by the ruling governments. Providentially, Sun Temple of Modhera stood its ground despite plundering attacks by Allauddin Khilji. Knowing that Hindus won’t idolise a broken temple, Allauddin Khilji knocked down the holy complex, profaning and vandalising every deity idol to burglarise the secreted riches and to hurt the religious sentiments of the followers of Hinduism.

Let’s get to the fun stuff, where I’ll tell you about how King Bhimdev I created this temple complex in AD 1026 and why it’s so amazing. The Sun Temple of Modhera is one of the seven Mandirs dedicated to Arya, the sun deity, and was built along the banks of the river Pushpavati using Vastu Shastra principles. Designed so that the first rays of the rising sun illuminate the image of Lord Surya on the solar equinox and summer solstice days.

Despite its age-old construction, you cannot contain yourself from lauding the existence of scientific engineering and architectural skills that make this monument a magnum work of art with elegant and intricate stone carvings. Each carving and shrine depicts diverse stages of life and the gamut of human emotions from friendship to love to death. The temple also holds a more profound significance for Hindus. Legends narrate that after defeating Ravana in batter, Lord Ram visited Modhera with Sita on a pilgrimage.

The Chaulukya style Modhera Sun Temple diverges into three axially aligned segments: Kund, the reservoir, Sabhamandapa, the assembly hall and Gudhamandapa, the shrine hall. Built on a paved scaffold, Sabhamandapa is placed a little away from Gudhamandapa as an individual structure. Both have a plinth in the shape of an inverted lotus but diversely built roofs that collapsed long ago. Legends narrate that each of these components was once the flagbearers of immense wealth and in its chambers were stowed, the statue of Lord Surya, a chariot in gold and a hidden chamber full of gold coins and precious gems of inexplicable value.

Allaudin Khilji wanted it all, as he deemed himself superior and deserving of all extravagance. Thousands of years later, we as tourists stand at the podium of this monumental temple complex and range over what is now the shirked tale of riches to rags.

Modhera Sun Temple Kund

Upon entering the temple premises, the first thing that grabs your attention is the vast rectangular Ram or Suryakunda. Encircled with stones, the Surya Kund of Modhera Sun Temple has four terraces and an indented flight of steps to reach the bottom. These steps usher straight to the reservoir through a Kirti Torana, however, the principal entrance lays on the west with two moderately ornamented pavilion towers. The door frame is inscribed, with lotus, leaves and the Ruchaka type pilasters from the 11th century. Whereas the undersized Mandapa and the second Kuta of stepwell belong to the 10th century.

The first step is semicircular, while the remaining rectangular steps connect one terrace to another at a right angle. The bottom of Modhera Sun Temple Kund is amassed with small shrines of Vaishnavite deities such as Shitala. Since we are not allowed to take the stairs down to the footing of the Surya Kund, I took the delight in marching around its flawless structure to bask in its glorious past. Wondering how the royals prayed at this majestic temple at the time when the Garbha Griha held within its confines a resplendent glowing idol of Surya?

Conceivably a thousand years back, when the first sunray would descend over the golden statue harbingering the dawning of a new day, the ordained reverends dressed in red would call upon the religious ceremonies. Red is significantly analogous to the sun thus, royals and saints dressed up in this colour and used red utensils during the ceremonies to please Surya Devta. The entire temple complex would then enthral in the surround sound of chants and ringing bells, nudging the town to conduct morning ablutions and join in for the prayers.

Gudhamandapa or the Assembly Hall

Gudhamandapa is the Sanskrit translation of an assembly hall with a rectangular floor map covered on all its sides. At Modhera Sun Temple, its Gudhamandapa is its main pavilion on the central axis of the temple, situated right in front of the vestibule. In the yesteryears, this well-ventilated Gudhamandapa served, as a hall where the court would assemble to consult influential subjects. So to prevent distractions, the architects kept its inner walls relatively plain and bereft of any ornamentation.

The ceiling is flat but diverged into several architraves supported by walls and pillars. The central bay, however, exhibits a slight sign of ornamentation. While the Shikhara no longer exists, the passage roof has stones slabs carved with rosettes. Almost split into equal shares, the Gudhamandapa and the Garbhgriha feature a rectangular plan with one headland on the smaller sides and two on the longer sides. These projections constitute the entrance and the rear of the shrine. The outer wall of Gudhamandapa has perforated stone screen windows and one doorway. 

The path surrounding the walls of Garbhgriha and Gudhamandapa is called Pradakshinamarga. Each window on the outer wall of Gudhamandapa showcases prominent carvings of Surya, and the most prominent one is Surya holding lotuses in a standing position, driven by seven horses. Other sculptures are that of Agni Devta, Dikpals, Ganesha, Saraswati, Varuna and Vishwakarma. Every sculpture is marked with a small cornice called Udgam.

Garbhagriha or the Sanctum Sanctorum

Garbhagriha shrine (sanctum sanctorum) at Modhera Sun Temple is an 11 feet space built on a square floor map. Annihilated by Khilji, the door to the Garbhagriha shrine once had carved sculptures of Surya surrounded by passionate couples and dancers. Interestingly, this sanctum sanctorum was designed, in a way, that the first sunray would always flick the idol of Surya Devta on summer solstice or the solar equinox days. Although what’s even more fascinating is that, at noon, when the sun shines above the temple, no shadows are cast!

This shrine once had two compartments, one upper and one lower cell. But ever since the foundation of the upper cell fell, one can only imagine what it looked like when it harboured the deity. The lower cell still exists and was presumably used for storage during the Chaulukya empire. The inner walls of the Garbhagriha are unadorned, whereas the outer wall is somewhat decorated. Beyond the basement, the sidewalls of the Garbhagraha are called the Mandovara and the central wall, Bhadra. The Chaitya windows are called Kevala.

These walls and windows at Sun Temple are ornamented, with eclectic sculptures of lord Surya, Kumbha or a Kalash (a pitcher), deities, musicians, dancers, celestial nymphs, Chowri-bearers and so on. The middle section features oval discs. Irrespective of the simple interiors, you will notice that the outer walls of the shrine are admiringly embellished. Exquisite carvings run all through the floor and walls. The base (Pitha or Adhisthana) has two square components (Bhat) followed by a cyma recta carving and an inverted lotus moulding called the Padma or the Padmaka.

The Pitha is identical to the Gudhamandapa but comparatively smaller and richly carved with floral ornamentation. In between the recesses, a sharp edge (Antarita or an Astragal) is placed, and above it is the thin moulding called the Chhaja – this one is decorated with the Gajathara (elephant) and Narathara (men) carvings. At Sun Temple Modhera, you will find all types of pillars: short, long, semicircular and ones with triangular arches. Pillars of Gudhamandapa and Sabhamandapa are short and tall, with an octagonal shaft and a square element featuring Kalash and floral designs on each side.

Sabhamandapa or Rangamandapa

Sabhamandapa or Rangamandapa is a dancing hall with a cordon of 52 intricately-carved pillars on each side. Its carved exteriors render an impression of a star-like outline.

On the basis of its construction style, it has been remarked that Sabhamandapa was added much later to the Sun Temple. Nevertheless, it’s a fascinating structure with a succession of erotic figures. The sculptures of deities and dancers above the Narathara are known as the Rajasena, side panels are decorated with Vedi and floral designs, an Asanawhich pattern runs around the hall whereas, Kakshasana slants outwards, casting the support for the court.

The Sun Temple of Modhera once also had a pyramid-shaped roof that no longer exists. Instead in the present times, you will find 23-feet tall walnut-shaped levelled ceilings supported by columns set in an octagon. These pillars are festooned, with countless floral girdles.

The Torana (cusped arches), on the other hand, emerge from the descending frames of the pillars and are either semicircular or triangular. Both have a wide band of decorated figures most, now, vandalised! Makara-Torana gets its name after the illustrations of Makara on its lower brackets. Chitra Torana represents drawings.

On the way out, you can also take a look at the archeological museum on the premises.

Visiting Hours: 7 AM – 6 PM

Tickets: INR 25 for Indian Nationals and INR 300 for Foreign Nationals

Ample parking although washroom facilities are not so great. There is a restaurant in the adjoining building, shall you like to unwind by enjoying some snacks and tea in the evening.