Modhera Tours : Sightseeing, Tour Packages

Modhera Tour Packages

The prime attractions of Modhera, a small and non-descript village in Mehsana district of Gujarat, are 11th century Sun Temple (Surya Mandir) and rural culture & landscape. Modhera tour packages are mostly part of broader Gujarat tours. Sun Temple of Modhera is quite singular and really deserves to be visited. Located in Gujarat and a few kilometers from Patan (the place of Rani ki Vav in Patan), the Surya Temple in Modhera is exceptional for many reasons. First, it is dedicated to Surya, the sun god. It is one of the rare temples in India dedicated to this cult. Then it is very old, since it was built in 1026. Finally, it is an example of the architecture of the Solanki dynasty which ruled Gujarat from 11th to 13th century, before collapsing in the face of the blows of the Islamic invasions. The ravages & plunder by the Muslims and the earthquakes have affected negatively its splendor, but the remnants still suggest about its glorious and grand past aura. When you reach this temple, the first building you see is a large basin of 50 meters x 20 meters, the Rama Kund or Surya Kund. It was used for ablutions and prayers. Several other smaller temples, dedicated to several deities, are located around this kund.

The small tower finely carved in the foreground is called a toran, gateway to enter a temple. Reflection of various temples in Rama Kund creates very beautiful scene. Then when you go ahead you find two main buildings - the first one is called the Sabha Mandapa. It was used for religious gatherings and dances. The second is called the Guda Mandapa, the main temple that housed the statue of Surya. The richness and finesse of the sculptures make this visit exciting. The pillars of the temple are beautified by bas-reliefs or sculptures. A particularity of this temple concerns the many erotic scenes that can be seen on the bas-reliefs, some of which are very explicit.