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Sun Temple - Modhera

Sun Temple - Modhera

Hindus belive in nature worship. In fact each and everything that gives life sustains life is worshipped in Hindu religion. Surya temples are dedicated to Sun god as sun is regarded as an inexhaustable source of energy ,Built in 1026 A.D. during the reign of King Bhimdev I of the Solanki dynasty . Konark Sun Temple, Surya Pahar, Modhera are some of the temples dedicated to Sun God

This temple, though ravaged by Mehmud of Gazni, still retains enough of it's original structure to convey the grandeur of its conception and the superb artistry of execution. Every inch of the edifice, both outside and inside is carved magnificently with motifs of gods and goddesses, birds, beasts and flowers. Modhera is now the site of several dance and cultural festivals. The sun temple and the ambiance here provide a majestic backdrop for the exhibition of performing arts.

The temple has been ravaged by plunderers and natural calamities, including an earthquake, yet it remains an outstanding monument to the architectural genius and artistic flair of the Silavats. The facades and pillars are decorated with exquisite carvings of Gods and Goddesses, birds, beasts and blossoms, and traditional erotic sculpture. The forecourt of the temple is a rectangular stepped tank, 50 by 20 meters in area, interspersed by 108 subsidiary shrines. The entrance to the temple is by a beautifully carved columned portico, leading to the Sabha Manclapa or assembly hall. The cusped arches, which became a feature of Indo-Saracenic architecture after Islamic incursions into India, the corbelled roof, the magnificent series of carvings portraying scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and other Hindu epics, and the light-and-shadow effect given by the beautifully sculpted and organised columns, are highlights of the Sabha Mandapa. The first rays of the sun, during the equinox would light up the jewelled image of lord Surya in the sanctum, before the idol was taken away by invaders.

Major Temples in North India
	Akshar Dham		Kashi Vishwanath Temple
	Bahai Temple		Khajuraho Temples
	Baijnath Temple		Lotus Temple
	Birla Mandir		Naina Devi Temple
	Bodhi Temple		Omkareshwar Temple
	Chattarpur Mandir		Shankracharya Temple
	Dilwara Temple		Somnath Temple
	Dwarkadhish Temple		Sun Temple - Konark
	Eklingji Temple		Sun Temple - Modhera
	Golden Temple		Vaishno Devi
	Jwalamukhi Temple