| Pindara temples | |
|---|---|
 Temple No. 1 from southwest, typical Maitraka superstructure is visible | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| Deity | Shiva |
| Location | |
| Location | Pindara,Devbhoomi Dwarka district,Gujarat |
  Location in Gujarat | |
| Coordinates | 22°15′52″N69°15′10″E / 22.264560°N 69.252885°E /22.264560; 69.252885 |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Maitraka-Saindhava (neo-Dravidic Maitraka,Nagara and early Maha-Gurjara) |
| Completed | 7th to 10th century |
| Specifications | |
| Temple | 5 |
| Monument | 1 (mandapa) |
Thetemples atPindara, locally known asDurvasa Rishi Ashram, in Kalyanpur Taluka ofDevbhoomi Dwarka district,Gujarat, India belongs toMaitraka-Saindhava period (7th to 10th century). The temples are located near sea, about eleven miles east ofDwarka.[1][2]
These temples are built between 7th and 10th century.[3] ThePhamsana style temples belongs to middle of 8th century, built during the reign ofSaindhavas. Large number of sculptures and Saindhava coins, for the first time, were found during the excavations in 1965.[1][4] The monuments are associated withDurvasa Rishi by locals and called Durvasa Rishi Ashram.[2][5]
The site is inscribed as the Monument of National Importance (N-GJ-121) and is maintained by Vadodara Circle of theArcheological Survey of India.[6]
There are five temples and a long pillaredmandapa within an enclosure.[2][4][5]
Temple No. 1 (old shrine/Sun Temple/Dhyan Mandir) is built in neo-DravidicPhamsana type, according to the classification byM. A. Dhaky and J. M. Nanavati. It has square cella and plain walls on which rises a five tiered superstructure from avimana-vedika base. These tiers haschandrashala engravings in decreasing numbers from five to two while the topmost tier is lost and there iskarnakutas at the corners. The temple has lost itsmandapa. The temple may have been constructed insandhara layout. If true, it seems that the exterior walls were disappeared long ago. This temple is east facing.[1][7]
Temples No. 2 and 3 are both ofphamsana type, of penthouse variety. These temples show the early Maha-Gurjara architectural influence.[1][5] These temples are west facing.
Temple No. 2 has aNagara ground plan and an open porch with short pillars ondado. The dado, on its east side of the temple, has pillar-motif and niches, similar to theGop Temple. The roof has only its lowermost course surviving and there is a row of dentils below it. Above the plain door-frame of this temple, there is a panel depicting the marriage ofShiva andParvati. The faces of the demons in this panel has similarities with the panel found on the parapet of the Sun temple at Akhodar.[1]
Temple No. 3 is a square in plan and is smaller in size. It had a superstructure similar to the Temple No. 2.[1] Temple No. 4 is also similar to it but is east facing. These two temple has open porch with short pillars on dado. The west facing Temple No. 5 is a square cella with plain walls crowned by multi-tieredphamsana type superstructure.[5]
In 2007, the remnants of the submerged temple complex were found north of the existing temple complex. The temple has only itsjagati (plinth) surviving which suggest the temple was east facing. They also found theyoni ofShivalinga suggesting that they were Shiva temples. The temple complex may have submerged due torise in sea level andseismic activity.[3]
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