Sun Temple of Nandeshma

Sun Temple of Nandeshma

In the Gogunda tehsil of Udaipur district of Rajasthan, nearly 10 miles away from Udaipur city is located the village of   Nandeshma. There one can see the ruins of a medieval sun temple which faces the east.

This temple may have been constructed in the 12^th century CE as derived from the Board assigned there by the ASI. The shikhara and the outer wall of the sanctum are almost in ruins. So the garbhagriha contains a standing (Sthanak) idol of the sun god. This idol is about 4feet in height, and 2.6 feet in breadth. Around the idol are placed smaller sun god idols in the standing posture holding lotus flowers and the sitting posture in small niches; 4 on the sides and 3 above. The entire temple and its contents are made of a white stone, possibly marble. The main Surya idol does not have armour on his chest but he holds two lotus flowers by their stalks in his hands, wearing boots in his feet. To his left stands Dandi and to his right Pingal along with two female figures.

There are many pillars bearing the images of Kichak  on their abaci with the faces of monkeys, boars, lions and humans. A pillar in the Sabha Mandapa contains a 20 line inscription of the year 1236, of Maharana Jaisingh of Mewar. The last few lines are destroyed and hence illegible.

The temple is quite damaged and no conservation measures have been taken so far. It is a protected monument under the Jaipur circle of ASI. There is a board outside that claims that this temple was built by Maharana Jaitrasingh, mentioning the date of 13^th Friday in the month of Vaishaka Sudh of 1279 when he was the ruler of Nagada, and his prime minister was Dung Singh derived from the 20 line inscription inside. Further it states that Tej singh was Jaitra Singh's son while the well known Maharana Samar Singh was his grandson.