Magderu is an 8th-century temple of Maitraka period located near Dhrasanvel village in Okhamandal Taluka of Devbhoomi Dwarka district,

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. The temple is located three miles northeast of

Dwarka Dwarka () is a town and municipality of Devbhumi Dwarka district in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Gujarat. It is located on the western shore of the Okhamandal Peninsula on the right bank of the Gomti river at ...

Architecture

The temple belongs to early Nagara style temples with single spire with lattice work (''sajala'') in it. The rectangular, north-facing temple is ''saptayatana'' (seven shrine) type with one central large shrine surrounded by six smaller shrines. It is on low platform ( ''jagati''). This temple with multiple shrines may be modification of either ''panchayatana'' (five shrine) type with addition of shrines in east and south of the central shrine or ''ashtayatana'' (eight shrine) type with replacement of eighth shrine with the flight of the steps to access the temple from north. The ''jagati'' is buttressed on north and south. The enclosing wall which once connects the shrines. The central shrine has '' pancharatha'' (five-fold) plan. It is the earliest known five-fold planned temple in the region. It has old style ''vedibandha'' (the lowest socle or foundation block) and almost plain ''mandovara'' (middle of the outer wall of shrine). The ''

shikhara ''Shikhara'' (IAST: '), a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak", refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India, and also often used in Jain temples. A ''shikhara'' over the ''garbhagriha'' chamber ...

'' (spire) and ''

sukhasana Lotus position or Padmasana () is a cross-legged sitting meditation pose from ancient India, in which each foot is placed on the opposite thigh. It is an ancient asana in yoga, predating hatha yoga, and is widely used for meditation in Hind ...

'' (assembly seats) are also in ruins. The ''

mandapa A ''mandapa'' or ''mantapa'' () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture and Jain temple architecture. ''Mandapas'' are described as "open" or "closed" dependin ...

'' (roof above the assembly hall) is now restored with its ''Bhadraka'' style pillars with their lintels are still surviving. The temple once housed Saptamatrikas. The ''pithika'' of it is still there. The doorway is plain and without any ornamentation. The eastern shrine was probably for Nandi.

History

M. A. Dhaky and J. M. Nanavati opines that "Maga" in the name of the temple suggests that it may be connected to Aboti Maga Brahmins who were worshippers of

Surya Surya ( ; , ) is the Sun#Dalal, Dalal, p. 399 as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, Smarta tradition, all of whom are considered as equivalent deities in the Panchaya ...

(solar deity) and immigrants from

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

to western India. So the temple may have been the Sun temple. It may have been the

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

temple as well. The temple is currently belongs to Shiva. The spire of the temple has more elaborate lattice work than the Sutrapada temple and less elaborate work than the Roda temples. As Roda temples are placed in the last quarter of the eighth century, so this temple is placed in the middle of the eighth century by Dhaky and Nanavati. So the temple was constructed during the Maitraka period. The site is inscribed as the Monument of National Importance (N-GJ-129) and is maintained by Vadodara Circle of Archeological Survey of India.

References

{{Hindu temples in Gujarat Hindu temples in Gujarat 8th-century Hindu temples Cultural history of Gujarat Devbhoomi Dwarka district Shiva temples in Gujarat Tourist attractions in Gujarat Archaeological sites in Gujarat 8th-century establishments in India Monuments of National Importance in Gujarat