Kirti Toran are two ''

torana A ''torana'' (; '' awr-uh-nuh') is a free-standing ornamental or arched gateway for ceremonial purposes in Hindu architecture, Hindu, Buddhist and Jain architecture of the Indian subcontinent. Toranas can also be widely seen in Southeast Asi ...

'' (ornamental gateways) located in

Vadnagar Vadnagar is a town and municipality in the Mehsana district of the state of Gujarat in India. It is located from Mehsana. Its ancient names include ''Anartapura'' (the capital of Anarta) and ''Anandapura.'' It was a location visited by Xuanz ...

Mehsana district Mehsana district (alternate spelling "Mahesana") is one of the 33 districts of Gujarat state in western India. Mehsana city is the administrative headquarters of this district. The district has a population of over 1.8 million and an area of over ...

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

, India. Built in the 12th century, they are examples of

Maru-Gurjara architecture Māru-Gurjara architecture or Solaṅkī style, is the style of West Indian temple architecture that originated in Gujarat and Rajasthan from the 11th to 13th centuries, under the Chaulukya dynasty (also called Solaṅkī dynasty). Although or ...

History

The two toranas belong to the 12th-century are located just north of the walled town. They stand on the bank of the Sharmistha Lake. The one to the east is in better condition and has been used as a symbol of Gujarat in recent times. Initially, one ''torana'' was intact while the other was ruined. The ruined one was re-erected in 2007 by the

Archaeological Survey of India The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexander ...

(ASI). The ''toranas'' might have served as an entrance to a large temple complex, but no remains of such have been found till date. It is the Monument of National Importance protected by the ASI. The ''torana''s were known as ''Narsinh Mehta's Chauri'' and was legendarily attributed to 15th century Gujarati poet

Narsinh Mehta Narsinh Mehta, also known as Narsinh Bhagat, was a 15th-century poet-saint of Gujarat, India, honored as the first poet, or ''Adi Kavi,'' of the Gujarati language. Narsinh Mehta is member of Nagar Brahman community. Narsinh became a devotee of ...

Architecture

The toranas, a pair of columns supporting an arch, about tall, built in red and yellow

sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...

. Both of them face the east with few houses in between them now. They are among the few surviving examples of the entrance gates, once a regular feature of the architecture of Gujarat in the Solanki period (

Māru-Gurjara architecture Māru-Gurjara architecture or Solaṅkī style, is the style of West Indian temple architecture that originated in Gujarat and Rajasthan from the 11th to 13th centuries, under the Chaulukya dynasty (also called Solaṅkī dynasty). Although or ...

). The carving style of them is similar to the pillars of the

Rudra Mahalaya Temple The Rudra Mahalaya Temple, also known as Rudramal, is a destroyed/desecrated Hindu temple complex at Siddhpur in the Patan district of Gujarat, India. Its construction was started in 943 CE by Mularaja and completed in 1140 CE by Jayasimha S ...

Siddhpur Siddhpur, also spelled Sidhpur, is a Town, municipality and headquarter of Sidhpur taluka in Patan district, in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is a historical place located on the bank of the endorheic Saraswati River, which is probably a r ...

and the

Modhera Sun temple The Sun Temple of Modhera is a Hindu temple dedicated to the solar deity Surya located at Modhera village of Mehsana district, Gujarat, India. It is situated on the bank of the river Pushpavati. It was built after 1026-27 CE during the reign ...

, suggesting they belong to the same period. Perhaps erected after a war victory, the architecture is embellished with carvings of battle and hunting scenes. Their pillars and arches are decorated with lozenges at the base and geometric and floral designs (i.e., leaves, creepers and lotus), animal motifs, human figures engaged in various activities, and divine figures in different poses. The pillars feature elements like the Padma, Kani,

Kirtimukha Kirtimukha (Sanskrit: कीर्तिमुख ,', also ', a bahuvrihi compound translating to "glorious face") is the name of a swallowing fierce face with huge fangs, and gaping mouth, very common in the iconography of Hindu temple architectu ...

s, Gajathara, Narathara, and sculptured Kumbhi. The pillar capitals have pointed, carved leaves and support griffins and semi-circular arches. The top bears an image of a seated god

Kartikeya Kartikeya (/Sanskrit phonology, kɑɾt̪ɪkejə/; ), also known as Skanda (Sanskrit phonology, /skən̪d̪ə/), Subrahmanya (/Sanskrit phonology, sʊbɾəɦməɲjə/, /ɕʊ-/), Shanmukha (Sanskrit phonology, /ɕɑnmʊkʰə/) and Murugan ...

flanked by

Ganesh Ganesha or Ganesh (, , ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva (Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in the Ganapatya sect. His depictions ...

and

Makara Makara () is a legendary sea-creature in Hindu mythology. In Hindu astrology, Makara is equivalent to the Zodiac sign Capricorn. Makara appears as the vahana (vehicle) of the river goddess Ganga, Narmada, and of the god of the ocean, Varun ...

griffin The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (; Classical Latin: ''gryps'' or ''grypus''; Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk ...

), from which spring arches. A number of standing female figures also ornament the top.

References

{{commons Māru-Gurjara architecture Religious buildings and structures in Gujarat 12th-century religious buildings and structures in Asia 12th-century religious buildings and structures Cultural history of Gujarat Monuments of National Importance in Gujarat Vadnagar

History

Architecture

See also

References