SUN TEMPLE @MODHERA

 Hey readers,

Hope you all are doing great and are safe in this pandemic. Here, I am back with our third travelogue! If you haven’t read my previous one, check it out here: https://travelogue-upasana.blogspot.com/2021/06/trekking-polo-forest.html

As 2020 started unfolding, the pandemic started unravelling its tentacles and terror. As prevention, lockdown was adopted as a temporary measure globally. All of us were confined to our homes for months together. After 1^st wave, the unlocking was done in a phase-wise manner, so as soon as the restrictions were relaxed, we thought of taking a short day trip to any open and exciting place. That’s when we selected “Modhera: Sun Temple” for our next day trip. 

Source: (Main Temple) That's clicked by me 👆😇

It was an open space, comfortable to maintain social distancing and abundant winter sunshine, which was best suitable and safe in COVID times.  

Below is the Google Map link to Sun Temple, Modhera👇

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Ahmedabad,+Gujarat/Modhera+Sun+Temple,+On,+Mehsana+-+Becharaji+Rd,+Highway,+Modhera,+Gujarat+384212/@23.3133934,72.1018652,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x395e848aba5bd449:0x4fcedd11614f6516!2m2!1d72.5713621!2d23.022505!1m5!1m1!1s0x395c6e36ea6babd5:0x81b9e6ddfcbab237!2m2!1d72.1329669!2d23.5834946!3e0

This shrine is roughly 2.5 hours away from Ahmedabad. It is located in the Mehsana district, which is about 120 kilometres from Ahmedabad in the State of Gujarat. 

The journey was pleasant, and we all were super excited to be able to get out after a long stretch. It was giving us a sense of joy and happiness to spend time together on an outing. At our arrival, we were happy to see the efforts by the concerned authorities to maintain the safety of the visitors; contact-less entry was through QR Code scanning.

After our entry, we went straight away to the Museum, which stores a number of artifacts recovered from the local site excavations of this temple. On my way to the museum, I met this cute fella :)

     Source: (Squirrel) That's clicked by me 👆😇

Source: (Artifact of the Museum) https://www.touristplaces.net.in/modhera-gj/archaeological-museum/

The Sun Temple occupies an important place in history and archaeology. It was built by King Bhima of Chalukya Dynasty around Vikram Samvat 1083, as given in the inscription there. However, the invaders later demolished it, and today it stands as a relic site.

  Source: No Source Found! Cause, that's ME🤍

The site includes many unique architectural structures known as “Mandapas”. It consists of the Gudhamandapa; the shrine hall, the  Sabhamandapa; the assembly hall and Kunda; the reservoir. All the structures are adorned by beautiful carvings on sandstone surfaces. The most exciting fact suggests that the main complex, which stores the garbha griha, has an image of Surya, which lits up naturally with the first rays of the sun during the equinox as well as the summer solstice days.

Source: (Architecture of the Temple) That's clicked by me 👆😇

📍MODHERA DANCE FESTIVAL:

During the third week of January, a unique dance festival is held at the stage of this temple. It was held from 19th  to 21st of January, this year.  The brilliant hues of green, blue, red, yellow lights illuminate the atmosphere around and highlight the beautiful carvings of the Sun Temple; during the breezy, pleasant nights. The three-day festival is organised by the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited (TCGL) to venerate and celebrate the inherited treasure of the country's performing arts. You can consider yourself really lucky if you have seen this extraordinary form of "Nritya!!" If you haven't visited this festival, don't worry, there's always the next year!

Source: https://www.gujarattourism.com/fair-and-festival/modhera-dance-festival.html

This whole site is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). We were also happy to see how the artists could create such intrinsic and intricate works of art in an ancient era with minimal technology. It's a tale of human devotion, patience and ancient wisdom, inspiring for us from today’s generation.

Hope that you all loved this blog! Thank You For All The Unconditional Support❤️

★ Feel free to share any feedback/suggestions. 

That's all for now, keep reading for more such blogs and exciting travelogues!!✨

See ya,

Upasana