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The Structural Temples of Gujarat and architecturally it belongs to a later period than the shrine wall. The dome over the mandapa seems to have been erected at the time of the restoration. 48
Padana*
Near the village there lies an old temple known as Muleśvara Mahadeva.49 The temple consists of a garbhagriha adorned with a mono-spired or Ekāndi type of sikhara as its superstructure and a mandapa attached with a porch having ghatapallava type of pillars. It is of small size. The pitha and mandovara are simple in moulding except the central niches on bhadra projections on each side. The Jālaka design over śikhara is highly ornate and the śikhara is adorned with a
48. Shri M. A. Dhaky assigns this temple a date A. D. 1169. He says, “According to Prabhāsakhaņda it happens to be one of the five most sacred temples of the holy town. The Somanatha inscription of Kumārapāla mentions the renovation of this temple by Bhāva Bșhaspati. The older parts of the temple belong to that date. (CSTG. p. 80) * On the western border of the Banaskantha district touching the eastern border of the Ranna of Kutch, the village Padana is situated near the well known village Suigam. 49. N. M. Mandali, 'Somanātha Mahādevanāṁ Sivālaya' Surya Mandira Višesāñaka ( edited by the author of this work; Ahmedabad, 1964) p. 161 ff. On the strength of a statement occuring in P. C. ( edited by Shri D. K. Shastri, Bombay, V. S. 1991, p. 46). Shri Mandali identifies it with the temple of "Mūladevaswāmi erected by Mularāja 1 ( 942-997 A. D.) and further identifies Pattana (mentioned in the connection with this temple ) with the present village of Padana. But this view seems far fetched. Dr. H. R. Godani in his article
Muleśvara Mahādevanum Mandira' (published in Navachetan, July 65 p. 359 ff), too, expresses similar view and associates the relation of this temple with Muleśvara Mahādeva at Mandali situated in Vriddhivisya (Vadhiāra pathaka ) to which Mularāj gave a land grant by a copperplate dated V. S. 1043 (IA. VI; HIG 191-3).
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