Similar
to many monuments built in ancient and medieval India, The new
Somnath temple also has a massive facade structure, known as “Shri
Digvijay Dwar.” This massive structure built by using sandstone,
consists of three adjacent towers, each having its own spire. The
main gate to the temple is in the middle tower. There is a small
porch supported by two massive pillars outside the gate. The gate can
be closed by two heavy wooden doors of traditional Gujarati design.
There are 5 windows with balconies on the front side and few more on
the two sides of the facade structure and some full relief carvings
of some Gods and Goddesses in line with the lower windows. As I walk
along, the spire of the main temple rises just behind the spire of
the middle tower of this facade structure.
More
security at the gate. I have to pass through a metal detector and
another body search for any metallic objects on me. Ahead of me now
is the main structure of the Somnath temple. There is a forecourt
with nicely manicured garden, that surrounds the temple. In many
temples of India, visiting time is always restricted to few hours.
Here in Somnath, the temple is open for full day and a leisurely
visit is possible.
I walk to the main Mandapa of the temple. At the
entrance, just above the ceiling, there is a beautiful full relief
carving of 'Nataraja.' This is again similar to design of 'Chalukya'
temples at 'Pattadakal,' in Karnataka state of India. The Mandapa
ceiling has hundreds of miniature spires projecting upwards, creating
a nice effect. The Mandapa itself is an open structure supported on
pillars and again reminds me of the Viththala temple at Hampi in
south India. The temple trust has started coating the sandstone
pillars with golden paint and personally speaking, I do not like this
new colour. The original pinkish colour looks much better. In the
sanctum, the walls are all covered with gilded metal sheets and
decorated with semiprecious stones. At the center of the sanctum
stands a tall jet black Shiva Lingam, adorned with gold ornaments.
The temple is very imposing and definitely worth a visit. Afterwords,
I go round the sanctum, whose walls are covered with many miniature
full relief figures. Just behind the temple, I find plinth level
ruins of the old 'Parvati Temple.'
Shrine built by Ahilyabai Holkar in 1783
Quite
satisfied and happy with my visit, I come out and start walking
around the temple compound. Little further ahead on the right side,
is a small shrine which was built by “Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar”
of Vadodara state in 1783 after destruction of the ancient temple on
orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1670. This shrine is modest and
very simple. Yet it's importance can never be undermined in any way.
For almost 100 years, there was no Shiva Lingam shrine at Prabhas
Pattan, after ancient temple was destroyed at the orders of
Aurangzeb. Ahilyabai built this shrine so that the devotees, who came
to Prabhas Pattan, could pay obeisance to their lord Shiva.
I
continue walking along the boundary. Soon the road narrows down and
turns right in a very narrow lane with shops and houses on both
sides. Walking for about half Kilometer in the narrow lane, I finally
find the place I am looking for; 'Prabhas Pattan Archaeological
Museum.' I have mentioned earlier that the temple , originally built
by Chalukya king Kumarpala and subsequently modified by several
kings, including Bhimadeva, was dismantled by the Somnath trust in
1950 under expert guidance of the archaeological department. The
dismantled stone blocks and original carvings have been kept in this
museum.
This
museum itself is in a very obscure, nondescript place. The person in
charge tells me that there was an ancient temple of the Sun at this
place. The museum looks very ordinary from outside but consists of
hundreds of superb specimens of the medieval art of India from 11th
to 16th
centuries.
Plan of ancient temple as drawn by Henry Cousens in 1931
The
ancient temple as it stood in ruins till 1950, is described by Henry
Cousens in his book as:
“The
great temple, which faces the east, consisted, when entire, of a
large central closed hall, or gudhamandapa, with three entrances,
each protected with a deep lofty porch, and the shrine – the
sanctum sanctorum – wich stood upon the west side of the hall,
having a broad pradakshina or circumambulatory passage around it. The
latter was lighted by a large balconized window in each of its three
sides away from the hall, and those formed a very pleasing feature in
the general appearance of the building from outside. That at the
back, or west side have fallen, and so have the three porches.”
He
also mentions that the temple must have been at least 140 feet long.
It also appears from his description that vicinity to the sea and the
salt spray, has created a great amount of damage to the carvings on
pillars and on walls of the sanctum.
(Photos of ancient temple, courtesy British Museum)
The
museum displays many bass and full reliefs and stones from the roof,
pillar capitols. I am quite impressed with the grandeur and the
intricate carving work on this temple from twelfth century. The
workmanship compares well with Pattadakal temples in Karnataka state.
Stone blocks from original ceiling
A carved pillar
Nataraja
Shiva
After finishing our visit to Somnath, we take highway 26 to Talala and then to Sasan, which is located in the middle of a dense forest of Gir, the only place, where we can still find Asiatic Lions in their true environment. By the time we reach Sasan, it is dusk. As I settle in for the night, after a very nice dinner, I am reminded that early morning tomorrow, I have to go on a Jungle safari to meet the Asiatic Lion.
(To be
concluded)
13
February 2013
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