Structural Temples of Gujarat

SR No.: 006728
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kantilal F Sompura
Publisher: Gujarat University Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1968
Total Pages: 868
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 31 MB

Page 147

The Structural Temples of Gujarat Kalasar2 and Pasthar73; all the three dedicated to Surya and a group of the ruined temples north of Navalakha temple at Ghumali and the group of temples at Sona or Suvan Kansari.
92
The temple of Bileśvara74 (Dist. Junagadh ) faces east and is dedicated to Siva but whether this was so originally, or not; is uncertain as the present door-frame does not appear to be an old one. In the shrine there is a damaged linga at present.
The plan of the temple is unusual, for we have here the square shrine planted right in the middle of what might be called the hall, leaving a broad, but dark closed in passage all around it. It measures, outside 15.4 ms. and the shrine 8 ms. square, the passage around the latter being about meters wide, unnecessarily wide for a pradakṣiņā or circumambulatory passage.75
3
The temple at Kinderkheda (Dist. Junagadh) is about the same size as the temple of Surya at Sutrapada, but more simple and severe in its general appearance and more massive for its size than the Kadvar temple. Unlike the plainly moulded shafts of the pillars at the former, they are, here, if anything simpler than those at the latter temple, being nothing but heavy square blocks unrelieved by a single line. They have no bases as they have in the other buildings, and the bracket capitals are partly rectangular slabs and partly fashioned into a simple roll, being much like these in the Tin tal cave at Elora. The roof is plainly constructed of overlapping slabs above the hall, and is a simple pyramid above the shrine.76
72. 9.6 Kms. N. E. of Mahuva.
73. a little South to Son Kansari (Ghumali ).
74. SMTK plts. XXXVI-XXIX. Here figs, 37, 38. 75. SMTK. p. 40.
76. SMTK. p. 1 Fig. No. 3 on p. 42. Here Fig. 39.