Rudra Mahalaya Temple
| Rudra Mahalaya Temple | |
|---|---|
|
Plan of Rudra Mahadeva temple with one fourth of the surrounding structures, restored | |
  Rudra Mahalaya Temple Location in Gujarat | |
| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 23°55′09″N 72°22′45″E / 23.91917°N 72.37917°ECoordinates: 23°55′09″N 72°22′45″E / 23.91917°N 72.37917°E |
| Country | India |
| State | Gujarat |
| District | Patan District |
| Location | Sidhpur |
| Culture | |
| Primary deity | Rudra |
The Rudra Mahalaya Temple at Sidhpur in the Patan district of Gujarat, India, is an ancient ruined temple complex built to lavish proportions during the 12th century by the Jayasimha Siddharaja (1094–1143 CE) of the Solanki dynasty.[1] It was then the principal temple in Sidhpur dedicated to Rudra, a form of Shiva. In the early 15th century, the Muslim ruler Ahmad Shah I (1410–44) desecrated and substantially demolished this temple, and also converted part of it into the congregational mosque of the city. This has resulted in a blend of Islamic and Hindu temple architecture in the present remains of the temple complex.[2][3]
Location
The ruins of the Rudra Mahalaya Temple are located in Sidhpur in the Patan district of Gujarat. Sidhpur is named after the king Jayasimha Siddharaja. He built the temple in honour of Rudra, a form of Shiva. Sidhpur city is a municipality, in North Gujarat which is situated on the banks of the Sarasvati River stated to be a tributary of the main Saraswati river which has disappeared. In view of a large number of ancient temples in Sidhpur it is a highly revered place. It is about 103 kilometres (64 mi) to the north of Ahmedabad. It is at a distance of 24 kilometres (15 mi) from Anhilwad Patan, which was the capital of Gujarat before Ahmedabad was established.[1][2]
History
Sidhpur, under the rulers of Solanki dynasty, was a prominent town in the 10th century. It was during the 12th century, in the year 1140, that Siddhraj Jaisinh (1094–1144), the ruler of Solanki dynasty, built the temple complex in honour of Lord Shiva and called it the Rudra Mahalaya temple, and it became the principal temple complex of Sidhpur. Rudra is an aspect of Shiva, the dynastic deity of the Chaulukyas (950-1303/04) and in this chronology, Jaisinh was the seventh ruler. The temple complex was dismantled during the Muslim invasion of Gujarat by Ahmad Shah I (1410–44), who belonged to the Muzaffarids, a Muslim dynasty, and who was its second sultan.[1][3]
Architecture
The original temple, built to lavish proportions with extensive ornamentation in 1140, consisted of a roof measuring 32 feet (9.8 m), much larger than the Abu temple. Its overall dimension was 300 by 230 feet (91 m × 70 m) with the central building 150 feet (46 m) in length.[4] It was a triple storied temple with 1,600 pillars, 12 entrance doors, and 11 shrines of Rudra positioned around it.[1] The sanctum was located on the west and there was also a 'mandapa' or hall which had porches on the eastern, northern, and southern wings. Today only a few remnants of this complex are seen, such as two "torans" (porches) and four pillars. One "toran" is elaborately ornamented; the eastern gate which leads to the Saraswati River still stands; the remaining pillars have highly ornamented carvings.[1][5][6]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Sidhpur". Official website of Gujarat Tourism. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- 1 2 "Rudra Mahalaya Temple Sidhpur Patan District Gujarat". Official website of Gujarat Tourism. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- 1 2 "Architectural Histories Entwined: The Rudra-Mahalaya…". jstor.org. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- ↑ Sastri & Congress 1907, p. 525-26.
- ↑ "Ruined Rudra Mahalaya Temple, Siddhapur". Online Gallery of British Library. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- ↑ "Figure sculpture from the Rudra Mala at Siddhapur". Online Gallery of British Library. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
Bibliography
- Sastri, Kallidaikurichi Aiyah Nilakanta; Congress, Indian History (1907). A Comprehensive History of India. Orient Longmans. ISBN 978-81-7304-561-5.