Modhera Sun Temple: Of the past and its glory

                             

A three hour drive from Ahmedabad (102 kms), the Sun temple at Modhera transports you to a long forgotten world of splendor and excesses.

Built in 1026-27 AD, it signified the restoration of glory to the Solanki dynasty of Gujarat. This was the time when under the rule of Bhimdeva-I, the Solanki's regained power and their capital Anhilvad Patan was strengthened. Many traders and rulers joined hands at this time to build magnificent temples. The Solankis were Suryavanshis (descendents of the sun) and hence a grand temple dedicated to the Sun god was erected close to the capital. The temple is thus believed to be a significant historical, architectural and religious landmark. It is also, one of the few Sun temples in the country, probably the third most significant after Konark and Martand.

As you enter the ASI marked site of this enchanting and resilient structure, it is hard not to be in awe of the structure that embodies a glorious past. Walking on, along a cobbled lane flanked by green lawns you see weather battered pieces of stone idols piled together next to an ASI tent on the left and a museum complex behind it. As you approach the tent you see two axially aligned intricately carved structures to your right standing in all their grandeur - these are the Sabha and Guda Mandapas. The temple complex has three integrated structures apart from these two, there is the Surya Kund.

Basking in historical glory: Surya Kund, Modhera

The Surya Kund is the temple tank and it is also axially aligned with the two Mandapas; the Tropic Of Cancer passing through the heart of the three structures. The Surya Kund lies to the east of the Sabha Mandap. An interesting interplay of geometric patterns, in this approx. 54x37 m tank, laced with pyramid shaped stairs to take you down to the water level, is sure to leave you astounded. 108 miniature shrines are carved in between the steps of the tank divided by four levels. There are also bigger shrines with idols of Hindu gods and goddesses intricately carved in stone in between the steps. The reservoir once had fresh water from an underground source which has now been sealed for restoration purposes. Now you can see the bottom of the tank with turtles swimming in the stagnant water.

A flight of stairs from the Surya Kund leads you up to a Toran or a pair of tall stone pillars forming a gateway (actually an archway with the arch missing) leading you to the Sabha Mandap. As we entered the temple, we were stunned by the uniqueness of the engineering used in the construction of this temple. No mortar or cement was used to join the stone bricks, instead they were interlocked together to create a structure resistant to earthquakes.

The Sabha Mandap is a structure with an octagonal form and has one entrance each, along the parallel, horizontal and vertical sides of the octagon. It has 52 pillars (equal to the number of weeks in a year) with carvings depicting scenes from Hindu epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. This is also referred to as the Ranga Mandapa or the Sita Chavadi and is perhaps the most elegant and ornamental part of the temple. This part was used to probably hold meetings, gatherings and discussions.

Shining Example: Modhera at night

As you exit the Sabha Mandap, you enter the Guda Mandap which houses the Sanctum Sanctorum. A large part of this structure has been built anew for restoration. You are greeted by a familiar smell of various old bat-inhabited stone structures as you enter the Mandapa. There is an air of mystery about the dark Mandapa which has a huge dome barely visible in the evening. The Mandapa as usual is peristylar with an octagonal nave beneath the dome.  The inside walls are bare but broken by niches in each bay, with idols of the Sun God.  The plain walls are more than compensated by the exquisitely carved pillars and the architraves portraying scenes from the Ramayana. The Garbhagruha or the Sanctum Sanctorum is sealed as it opens to a deep trench which according to popular belief was filled with gold coins and on it sat the gold idol of Sun god on his chariot of eight horses. Between the outer walls of the temple and the garbhagriha is a passage which is called the pradakshina marg. On the left side of the passage lies a hidden doorway to a tunnel which supposedly leads to the Rani ki Vav in Patan.  Above the passage used to be a Shikhara, which was destroyed and the golden idol taken away during a historical invasion.

The outsides of the temple are profusely carved and ornate with the base being an inverted lotus. From the base onwards the carvings are divided into strips with each depicted scenes bearing references to different aspects of Hindu mythology and religion. The best times to visit the temple are on the days of equinox (20 March and 21 September) as on these days the sun rays fall directly on the Garbhagruha making the entire temple complex glitter and come to life with sun rays flooding all its corners. Other than that the Tourism Department of Gujarat also organises a three day long classical dance festival in Modhera in the month of January post Uttarayan. The Sabha Mandapa is used for the performances and renowned artists from world over grace the festival.

Although the temple has been rendered not usable for worship, the temple site houses a small temple to the right side of the complex where you can offer prayers and be treated to the sweet prasad of ilachi dana and misri. A trip to the Sun temple can also include a visit to the historic capital of Gujarat, Patan, which is a 40 minute drive from here.

(The article was originally published in The Gujarat, Vol III Issue II, March, 2013)

Siddhi Dhamaal - Gujarat's African Connection

Meet the Siddhi’s, an African tribe in the rural interiors of Gujarat. An introductory Gujarati salutation of   ”Kem cho bhai” to the Siddhis garners  a casual reply “Majaa ma” in fluent Gujarati so much so that one is baffled by the exact pronunciation and tonality of the reply. How does an African speak such fluent Gujarati that the listeners are left bewildered at the sight? The Siddhi’s , popularly known as the Siddhi Badshahs  have made Gujarat their home  for hundreds of years.

They are thought to have arrived in India in 628 AD from North-East and East Africa, long before the first slave ships started supplying labour to the cotton plantations of the American south. Many of them were soldiers in Muhammad Bin Qasim’s Arab army, but a large influx happened only during the 17th century, when the Portuguese slave traders sold large number of slaves to local princes.

Gujarat has two completely Siddhi populated villages, Shivran inside the Gir forest region, and Jambur in the nearby Talala taluka, the rest of the Siddhis are known to have spread throughout the district of Junagadh and Bharuch. Physically imposing and gifted with the potential of becoming excellent athletes, the Siddhis represent the variety of Africa. One can spot the relatively light skinned Sudanic race, while a rare representative of the Khoisan race is also visible in the Siddhi villages. 

“History? All I know is that my ancestors are from Africa, and if you want details, I can tell you about my father and my grandfather, anything beyond that is a mystery to me” answered Wasim, a Siddhi from Shivran, when asked about his and people’s past. Lack of written traditions over the centuries has made it difficult for the Siddhi’s to stay true to their roots. At present, the Siddhis are like the average Gujarati, excluding the appearance. Most of the Siddhis are either labourers or involved in small business, however the one thing that makes them truly stand out is their reaction to a percussion instrument’s beats.

Energetic, acrobatic and powerful are some of the words that can be used to describe their famous dance, Dhamal. For the Siddhi’s of Gujarat it’s their only “old” way of celebration and socialising. The need for an occasion to dance does not exist for the Siddhis, just the rhythm of the regular Dhol is enough.  “Even a women carrying firewood, will drop the bundle and start dancing at the sound of the rhythm. The beat is irresistible to us,” chuckled Iqbal, Jambur’s village elder.

 A participatory dance, true to its African origin, has no spectator –performer divide in its original form. In a nearby all Siddhi Ashramshala, 13 year old Muhammad started playing his ‘Dhol’ and all of a sudden all his friends started dancing. Those who were chatting stopped their conversations, those who were playing, left their games midway and started dancing. Vivid expressions and timing is key to the dance. The rhythm builds up in volume and tempo as the dance progresses. The moves are simple in the beginning, bent knees and elbows thrown sideways in tandem with the rhythm, but as the tempo increases so does the difficulty of the moves and the energy displayed. An uninhibited display of energy and grace, the children look almost in a trance, nor caring, nor paying attention to non-siddhi observers who have gathered around. The young dancers would have danced until sundown had not the bell rang announcing the end of the break. 

“You tell me how long you want us to dance, you want us to dance the whole night, even that won’t be a problem” said Iqbal with a big grin.  Iqbal is a village elder and also the leader of one of Jambur’s leading Dhamal troupe.  “Earlier, Dhamal was our way of celebrating our life and reason for gathering, but recently we realised that it is a gift that we can share with our non-siddhi neigbhours too” he added. So what started as modest performances outside their villages, soon snowballed into a major point of attraction. They were invited to Sasan Gir, the administrative town inside the Gir national park, where they performed in front of dignitaries. Dhamal became a national sensation overnight post the ‘Khusbhoo Gujarat ki ad’ campaign.

A participatory community dance soon became an international sensation, with Dhamal performers   being invited to the U.K, U.S and East Africa. Overtime Dhamal dancers have tried to improvise and polish their dance moves. Some of the recent additions have been the face paints and the very popular stunt of breaking coconuts with their head.

Dhamal’s as an art is evolving, thanks to its continuous exposure, but Dhamal has a ceremony of celebration within the community has not died away either.  Till now Dhamal was treated as a  product of their instinct to dance and move along with rhythm. The Siddhis had no means to tangibly connecting it with their origin from Africa, but with growing exposure they have come to understand how destiny has shaped this unique community. “We were supposed to be from Africa, but trust me I’m 100% Gujarati” said Iqbal, a Dhamal troupe member with a big and wholesome grin.

(The article was originally published in the March, 2013 issue 'The Gujarat' Quarterly)