![Navlakha arial view 02 (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Navlakha_arial_view_02_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Navlakha Temple at
Ghumli
Ghumli is a village located 45 km from Porbandar, at foothills of Barda, in Devbhumi Dwarka district of Gujarat, India.
Etymology
The Saindhava Copper plates and several inscriptions mention Bhutambilika, Bhumilika, Bhutambilimandal, Bhut ...
,
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the 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 fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
, India, is a 12th Century temple built by
Jethwa dynasty
Jethwa dynasty was a dynasty that ruled over present day Gujarat region of India from 7th century AD till middle of 20th century, when India became independent. It was a Rajput dynasty ruled by Jethwa clan of Rajputs.
Origin
Jethwa (or Jethva, ...
rulers.
History
![12th or early 13th century Navalakha Temple plan, Ghumli Gujarat, Hindu Maru-Gurjara style](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/12th_or_early_13th_century_Navalakha_Temple_plan%2C_Ghumli_Gujarat%2C_Hindu_Maru-Gurjara_style.jpg)
Navlakha Temple at
Ghumli
Ghumli is a village located 45 km from Porbandar, at foothills of Barda, in Devbhumi Dwarka district of Gujarat, India.
Etymology
The Saindhava Copper plates and several inscriptions mention Bhutambilika, Bhumilika, Bhutambilimandal, Bhut ...
was built by Jethwa rulers in 11th century dedicated to Sun god,
Surya and is oldest
sun temple of Gujarat.
[ It has the largest base (Uagati) of the temples in Gujarat, measuring 45.72 x 30.48 m. Facing East, it had a beautiful entrance arch or Kirti Toran, that is now lost. The sanctum sanctorum (]garbhagriha
A ''garbhagriha'' or ''sannidhanam'' is the ''sanctum sanctorum'', the innermost sanctuary of a Hindu and Jain temples where resides the '' murti'' (idol or icon) of the primary deity of the temple. In Jainism, the main deity is known as the ' ...
), covered pradakshina
Parikrama or Pradakshina is clockwise circumambulation of sacred entities, and the path along which this is performed, as practiced in the Indic religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. In Buddhism, it refers only to the path alon ...
path, large gathering hall and its three '' shringar chowkis'' -anointment thrones, are eye catching. On the surrounding walking path we find three directions with balconies. The mandapa has eight-sided pillars for support. In the small niches we find sculptures. The entrances are two storied. At the back wall of the temple we find two huge elephants fighting with their trunks. In Bhadra gavaksha
In Indian architecture, gavaksha or chandrashala (''kudu'' in Tamil, also nāsī) are the terms most often used to describe the motif centred on an ogee, circular or horseshoe arch that decorates many examples of Indian rock-cut architecture and ...
there is the image of Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
-Savitr
Savitṛ (Sanskrit: stem ', nominative singular '), also rendered as Savitur, in Vedic scriptures is an Aditya i.e. off-spring of the Vedic primeval mother goddess Aditi. His name in Vedic Sanskrit connotes "impeller, rouser, vivifier."
...
i, in the west is the Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
-Parvati
Parvati ( sa, पार्वती, ), Uma ( sa, उमा, ) or Gauri ( sa, गौरी, ) is the Hindu goddess of power, energy, nourishment, harmony, love, beauty, devotion, and motherhood. She is a physical representation of Mahadevi i ...
, to the north is Lakshmi Narayan
Lakshmi Narayana or Lakshmi-Narayan ( sa, लक्ष्मी-नारायण, IAST: ) is the dual representation of the Hindu deities Vishnu, also known as Narayana, and his consort, Lakshmi, traditionally featured in their abode, Vaikunth ...
.
The Navlakha Temple built at a cost of Nine Lac
Lac is the resinous secretion of a number of species of lac insects, of which the most commonly cultivated is ''Kerria lacca''.
Cultivation begins when a farmer gets a stick that contains eggs ready to hatch and ties it to the tree to be infes ...
s hence the name Navlakha. The temple is built in Maru-Gurjara architecture (or the Solanki style). have the three entwining tusks of elephants as its trademark and is considered to be high noon of Solanki style of architect.
Outside main temple there is a temple dedicated to Ganesha
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), 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 Ganapatya sect. His image is ...
, called the Ganesh Dehra
Dera, Dero, Daro, Dhoro, Dahar or Dehra is a word in several languages of South Asia, whose meaning is ' camp', 'mound' or 'settlement'. It appears in the names of a number of places.
Geography India
* Dera, Himachal Pradesh
* Dera Bassi, Moh ...
Present status
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 Alexand ...
, has taken up rehabilitation of temple in 2011 and develop the place as site of tourist and historical importance.
See also
* Ghumli
Ghumli is a village located 45 km from Porbandar, at foothills of Barda, in Devbhumi Dwarka district of Gujarat, India.
Etymology
The Saindhava Copper plates and several inscriptions mention Bhutambilika, Bhumilika, Bhutambilimandal, Bhut ...
References
Sources
*
{{coord, 21.8836, 69.7617, type:landmark_region:IN, display=title
12th-century Hindu temples
Hindu temples in Gujarat
Destroyed temples
Surya temples
12th-century establishments in India
Māru-Gurjara architecture
Rebuilt buildings and structures in India