Essay name: The Structural Temples of Gujarat
Author:
Kantilal F. Sompura
Affiliation: Gujarat University
This essay studies the Structural Temples of Gujarat (Up to 1600 A.D.).
Page 282 of: The Structural Temples of Gujarat
282 (of 867)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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Structural Temples after the end of the Caulukyan Period about the time of 227 A. D. The present temple seems to have come in existence
Akbar, the great Mughal Emperor.* The
winged figures of Paris, (apasar膩s) in the hall are the clear
evidence of being late in origin. The carving on the exterior
is fine and seems to have been copied from earlier structures
like those at Somanath-Patan and other places. The new structure
appears to have been built on the plinth of the older structure.84
The temple complex consists of Garbhag峁沬ha, Antar膩la, Ma峁囜笉apa
and Aardhamandapa. It's total height is nearly 51-8 ms. The tower
or Sikhara over garbhagriha, comprising several storeyes, is
31-2 ms. in height. The temple east to west is 27 ms. in length
and south north is 21-3 ms. in breadth. The central mandapa is
a five storeyed structure and is 23 ms. in height. The central
square space of the mandapa is 7-6脳7-6 ms. The temple has
beautifully carved 72 columns on which whole structure of
mandapa rest. 84
84/a
* Musaffarkhan, the last Governor of Gujarat founded the Ahmed
Shah dynasty which ruled over Gujarat till it was subdued by Akbar
in 1572 A. D. His (Akbar's) reign was marked by toleration and
Hindus repaired and rebuilt their sacred places during it. This is
proved by the inscriptions found at Dwarka which are dated in the
years when Akbar was ruling. These records would show that the
present temple of Dwarka might have been repaired or reconstructed
then. (Dr. Hiranand Shastri, R. D. p. 40).
The tradition records that the genuine image of Dw膩rk膩dhi艣a was
removed in V. S. 1212 (A. D. 1156) from Dwarka and brought to
Dakor. The famous temple of Ranchhodaji at Dakore was built in 1772
A. D. ( JUB. XVI. ( N. S. ). Pt. 4 Jan. '48 pp. 57鈥�58.)
84. ARAB. 1934-35 pp. 110-11 para 27, 28. Here Fig. 145.
84a. Dr. J. J. Thaker, 鈥楯agata Mandira' (1959) p. 2. Dr. Thakar has
found a short inscription in the temple, which according to him
belongs to 1st Cent. A. D. but it does not throw light on the period
of the construction of the temple. (Ibid p 18).
