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Ancient Gop Temple: Gujarat's 7th Century Marvel

The oldest existing Hindu temple in Gujarat is located in Gop, Jamnagar district. Dating to the 7th century AD during the Maitraka dynasty's rule, it is dedicated to the sun god. The temple stands on a high platform and has a distinctive layered pyramid roof decorated with horseshoe motifs. Nearby is the larger Bileshvar temple from the same period. These temples, along with others scattered across Saurashtra, marked the evolution of the pyramidal roof into the shikhara spire shape that became common.

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235 views1 page

Ancient Gop Temple: Gujarat's 7th Century Marvel

The oldest existing Hindu temple in Gujarat is located in Gop, Jamnagar district. Dating to the 7th century AD during the Maitraka dynasty's rule, it is dedicated to the sun god. The temple stands on a high platform and has a distinctive layered pyramid roof decorated with horseshoe motifs. Nearby is the larger Bileshvar temple from the same period. These temples, along with others scattered across Saurashtra, marked the evolution of the pyramidal roof into the shikhara spire shape that became common.

Uploaded by

OrianaFernandez
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

The oldest existing constructed temple in Gujarat stands in Gop (Jamnagar Distri ct).

It is dedicated to the sun and belongs to the 7th c. AD when the Maitraka d ynasty (5th-8th c) ruled Saurashtra. The temple stands on a high platform and ha s the distinctive Maitraka feature - a layered pyramid-shaped roof embellished w ith horse-shoe shaped chaitya arch motifs. The largest temple of this period is Bileshvar, about 30 m south of Gop. Many other Maitraa temples lie scattered ove r Saurashtra. Together with those of the Saindhava period (8th-10th c.), they ma rk the evolution of the pyramidal roof into a shikara or spire with gradually cu rving edges shaped like an inverted beehive. India Guide Gujarat - Anjali H Desai Gop Temple This ruined temple dates from the 6th Century, Maitraka period and is one of the earliest Hindu temple in Gujarat. The sanctuary is raised a high basement and i s covered by a pyramidal roof capped by an amalaka and is decorated by 3 large a rch-like blind windows. The passageway around the sanctuary and the mandapa that was probably at the front on the east are no longer existing. Image: Old temple, general view from the east, Gop, Kathiawar Photographer: Burgess, James Medium: Photographic print Date: 1874 http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/photocoll/o/019pho0001000s4u0038300 0.html http://porbandardp.gujarat.gov.in/Porbander/english/jillavishe/historical-places /visavada.htm Visavda (Mul dwarka) Place s name: Mul dwarka Place s detailed information While going from Mathura to Dwarka Lord Krishna had stopped in Porbandar at vill age Visaavda. In its remembrance in Visavda (Mul Dwarka) Lord Krishna s paduka can b e seen in this temple. At a distance of about 23 km from Mul Dwaraka approximately before 750 years Vin jhat Bhalat (devotte) had constructed these temples. Script says this temple was constructed in Vikram Samvat 1262 can be seen in Visavda s this temple. In Visavd a means Mul dwarka every year on Janmashtmi day huge fair is organized.

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