Detailed Itinerary:Day 1: Start your journey from Rajkot towards the sun temple of Modhera early morning. From rajkot It is a five hours drive.Post breakfast visit Sun Temple. A walk around the serene temple campus makes you aware of the positively strong aura of energy which the place radiates and through it brings one closer to the environs.Sun temple

ModheraMy cousin had recommended the Sun Temple of Modhera to watch sunrise, and a perfect place for a morning date.We left around 3.30 am to arrive just in time for the sunrise. It is about a couple of hours drive one way. With just a few tourists around (other than us), we got a guide, who gave us complete attention, and talked about this architectural wonder. The amount of detailing that has gone into creating these structures, with no technology being available to those who had constructed it, is simply marvelous. What is also amazing is how mythology and science are weaved into every part of this structure. Makes you wonder like mythology and science are in union, teaching you the same things - just using different nomenclature.

The Sun Temple built on Tropic of Cancer 23°26′13.5″ North of Equator,the sun is directly overhead on June Solstice , which I guess has some linkage as to why the temple built here ! The two basic architectural styles of temples in India with reference the geographical and cultural influence are Nagara Shaily (North Indian) and Dravidian Shaily (South Indian). Thus, Sun Temple of Modhera falls under Nagara Shaily built by the Sompura families. As we step closer to the Temple, first comes the huge Rama Kund or Surya Kund, rectangular water tank, filled with natural under ground water , surrounded by smaller temples dedicated to Ganesha, Shiva , Sitlamata . There are 108 small temples in the compound , each representing a different god and it also has Half Moonstone in the center of Kund ,moon used as a symbol to ward of negativity. As I proceeded inside the temple, first comes the Sabha Mandap or the Dancing Hall and I enthralled by the architectural design carved inside as well as outside the walls of the temple. Our guide carefully shows us the carvings each depicting a scene from Ramayana , Bhagwat Gita Or other sacred scriptures , some of which we recognize instantly. There were 52 pillars inside , each having its own significance. On one of the pillars the Sun God could be seen with his seven horses , Lord Vishnu with Laxmi etc. Few pillars outside the temple walls also had erotic images, which I am informed form the part of the birth life cycle. The Inner most area or the third part the 'Garbagruha', the sanctum sanctorum housed the Surya Idol carved in gold ,which taken away by Mehmood Ghazni during his raid of Gujarat. After a detailed chapter of history and a brilliant photo-session in the compound , we made our way back to Ahmedabad, enjoying a typical gujarati style lunch in a gujarati dhaaba(restaurant)on the highway which made my day! You can have a Photo Tour of The Sun Temple by clicking on the photo below and enjoy the architecture but to have the yummy gujarati food you will have to plan a visit ???? This post was originally published My Stik Pixels.

The Temple dates back to 1022-63A.D built by King Bhimdev of The Solanki Dynasty for worship of the Sun God. On entry in the premises of the temple compound , I was bit amazed to see the vast greenery well maintained by the care-taker of the area. As I went closer inside the compound , the Sun Temple stood in all its glory in the center of the sprawling green lawns. We had arranged a guide from Ahmedabad for the day trip and that proved a good decision , as he did his job quite well .

Recently one of our cousins came to spend a couple of days with us and we decided to visit Sun Temple which is at Modhera - about 25kms from Mehsana and102kms from Ahmedabad. I have been born and brought up in Ahmedabad and hence it's one of my favorite cities.It's not for the first time I visited this temple. I did visit when I was in my second or third grade. But as I did not remembered much I decided to see it once again.Well the Sun temple is the temple of the Hindu Sun God built before about almost 900 years ago by the King of Solanki dynasty.Immediately after reaching there we hired a guide who took us to each and every corner of the temple and explained us most of the details which he could and from all the knowledge bank he had. We asked his fees and it was only 150 Rs. So we were glad and immediately agreed to be his students for some time. Also he showed his ID card and hence we were assured that he is worth to be hired.Now in this temple there are no prayers done for the God and now it is under the observation of Archeological survey of India.I am fond of great architectural work and hence this place left me mesmerized.There are beautiful carvings done on the pillars of this temple and on the tomb of the temple.This temple is divided into Surya Kund,Sabha Mandap and Sanctum sanctorum.The tour guide informed us that the idols and carvings were destroyed by Mughals who looted the temple. He also informed us that inside the temple there was idol of Sun God and which had a diamond on its forehead. When suns first rays used to hit this diamond the rays used to reflect the diamond and used to get scattered all the place inside the room of the temple. This idol was even looted by Mughals and no one knows where this idol is now.Inside the temple there are beautiful carvings of different idols which depicts the way to live life and different stages/parts of life including Kamasutra.You can find more details in this link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Temple,_ModheraMeanwhile just have a look at these beautiful pics and keep us following until our part two of the trip to Rani Ki Vav ( queen of step wells ) and Adalaj Ki Vav ( A step well in Ahmedabad ).

It is situated on the bank of the river Pushpavati, 25 km from Mehsana and 102 km from Ahmedabad. It was built in 1026 AD by King Bhimdev of the Solanki dynasty. In the present times, prayers are not offered in this temple. This temple is now under the supervision of Archaeological Survey of India. According to these Puranas, Lord Rama, after defeating Ravana, asked sage Vasistha to show him a place of pilgrimage where he could go and purify himself from the sin of Brahma-hatya (the sin of killing a Brahmin, because Ravana was a Brahmin by birth). Sage Vasistha showed him Dharmaranya, which was near the modern town of Modhera. In the Dharmaranya, he settled at a village Modherak and performed a yagna there. Thereafter he established a village and named it Sitapur. This village is about 15 km from Becharaji Modherak village and it subsequently came to be known as Modhera.

Can be done in one day too. 1. Modhera Sun Temple 2. Rani ki Vav- amamzing stepwell. (Built in 1063) 3. Sahastraling Talav U can start the day by visiting Adalaj Stepwell (near Ahmedabad) to understand the grandness of Rani ki vav.