The Sun symbolizes light, knowledge, power, and intelligibility; it is the star at the centre of the Solar System. The powerful star dispels darkness and to illuminate life on our planet. There are many hymns dedicated to the Sun and is worshiped by many religions. He is called Surya Devata.
There are only 2 sun temples built in India; one is in Konark, Odisha and other in Modhera, Gujarat. Both temples have been built with fantastic architecture, which have lot of historical stories associated with it.
I will be discussing the Modhera Surya temple in my today’s blog. The shrine was built in the 11th century by King Bhimdev of the Solanki dynasty in Modhera village, Gujrat. The opulent shrine is richly carved and made of sandstone. And, sandstone is sedimentary rock which often has distinctive layering or bedding. The temple comprises three separate yet aligned and integrated elements; Surya Kund, Sabha Mandap and Guda Mandap. The temple is standing tall even after almost 23 centuries because it is built robustly and is maintained in good condition by the Government of Gujrat.
Seeing is believing; I went to see the temple on 29th December 2022. It is a visual delight and it raised my spirit. The magnificently carved pillars carrying Torana (gate tower) in alternate triangular and semi-circular designs are splendid. The temple has two Toranas. There are such 52 pillars denoting the 52 weeks of a solar year. The heavily carved pillars depict passages from Ramayana, Mahabharata and Lord Krishna’s life and also depict the 4 elements; Fire, Earth, Air and Water signifying the unity of these with the sun.
An inscription on the back wall of the temple which is inverted has the date, “Vikram Samvat 1083.” This fact has helped historians estimate the time period during which the Modhera Sun Temple was built.
There is a large Kunda (pond) known as Suryakunda in front of the temple through a grand flight of steps for cleansings hands and feet prior to entering the temple. Small pyramidal stairways which are arranged in staggered rows, lead from one terrace to the other. There are 108 miniature shrines carved in between steps. The water in the pond reflects in the green colour. The temple surrounding is spiritually silent. You can feel a strong retrospective quality in this temple. I sensed it.
During 1024–1025, Mohammed Ghazani invaded Bhima’s kingdom, and his 20,000 soldiers tried to destroy the shrine.
According to Hindu astrology, Sun God is the significator of the soul. That is why the Hindu people in India offer water to Sun. The Lord Surya Devta is the lord of all the planets. In astrology the Sun gives power, position, authority, glory, name, reputation, force and makes one a ruler or a kingly person. If the planet Sun is posited in a beneficial house in the natal chart, the natal is assumed to be powerful and enjoys longevity of life. Therefore, worshipping Lord Sun neutralizes the negative effect of all other planets in the chart.
Architecture is always deep-rooted with history, culture, and religion. It talks about traditions, regional beliefs, culture, lifestyle, philosophy, dynasty etc. The architecture bridges the gap between the history and present days. Since the beginning of life on earth, each civilization of different eras formed its unique style based on its religious beliefs, philosophies, and social needs.
The Tourism Corporation of Gujarat organises an annual three-day dance festival known as ‘Uttarardha Mahotsav’ at the temple during the third week of January, following the festival of Uttarayan. The objective is to present classical dance forms in an atmosphere similar to that in which they were originally presented. The Modhera Sun Temple has huge dancing hall which was added to the original shrine in the 12th century along with the gateways and the porch of the temple.
A World Heritage Site is a cultural or natural landmark that has been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). They are deemed worthy of preservation due to their universal value to humanity, in the present and for future generations. Modhera Sun Temple was added to the tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 2022.
