Modhera
Located close
to a small village in an arid steppe, Modhera is far from all, but to go there
is not a problem. Best is still there to go since Ahmedabad (a hundred km),
or to regard Modhera as a stage between Mont Abu (190 km) and Ahmedabad.
The temple of Modhera, dedicated to Sûrya, the solar god, was built at the 11th century (devoted in 1026-1027) by king Bhima Deva, of the dynasty of Solanki de Patan (8th at the 11th centuries), to commemorate its victory over the famous one and sinister Mahmoud de Ghazni.
This dedication of the temple of Modhera to Sûrya is rather rare. One finds it with the colossal temple of Surya kornack in Orissa, which however two centuries date later.
This dedication of the temple of Modhera to Sûrya is rather rare. One finds it with the colossal temple of Surya kornack in Orissa, which however two centuries date later.
While arriving on the site, one first of all notices a large stone basin with staircases, Ramakund (basin of Rowed), which was used for ritual ablutions of the pilgrims and constituted a water reserve. It is framed with the angles and on the sides, by small sanctuaries dedicated to Vishnu.
Close to the basin, the temple
was preceded by a gantry (torana) of which there remains only part of the
amounts. A vast hall, the nritta mandapa (hall of the dance), sometimes called
sabha mandapa, comes then. Its interior and external walls, as exuberant pillars
are decorated of an abundant stone iconography eroded by time, just like those
of the principal temple. One recognizes the usual gods and goddesses there,
of the celestial nymphs, some small erotic scenes in planks, etc. The statue
of Sûrya does not reside any more in its sanctuary, but one sees representations
of them on the walls. The god is illustrated there, like generally, upright
on his tank drawn by seven horses.
Patan
Old
capital of the dynasty of Solanki which built the temple of Modhera, Patan
keeps this time only of rare vestiges, except the well of the Queen, going
back to approximately 1075, one of these baoli (well with staircases) typical
of Gujarat and the Rajasthan. The state of conservation of this 65 depth m
work is explained by the fact that there remained filled of ground during
centuries before being cleared there is about thirty years.
Nowadays, Patan is especially known for its
fabric factories of luxury of the patola type (proceeded of dyeing in reserve
by binding of wire employed).
To arrive in the town of Patan (37 km of Modhera), it is to prepare with part of hide-and-seek: the inhabitants, however extremely many in this encumbered city, do not seem to know that there are old monuments downtown. Thus patience.
Except the Well of the Queen, try to unearth the temple dedicated to Parshvanâtha, 23 2nd Tîrthankara, before the last of these prophets whom venerates the Jain religion.
23 2nd Tîrthankara Parshvanâtha which, for its faithful of Jain confession, would have been native of Bénarès, is represented the surmounted head of a platform of cobra. Indeed, the Jains Masters are very often accompanied, like the Gods of the hindouism, of a animal-symbol, the cobra with seven heads, in this case.
In a deep niche close to the entry, is held in the semi-half-light, a rare representation of Ganesh. It is known that if this god occupies a dominating place in the hindouism, Jains regard it as Yaksha, i.e. a genius. It is associated Tîrthankara Parshvanâtha; this is why it is illustrated with the same hood of heads of cobras. It is named consequently Parshva Yaksha in the Shvetâmbara tradition (connects majority of Jains, whose priests are vêtus of white).
With middle height of the walls external of the temple, one also locates gracious scultptures of many divinities, upright on stone consoles.