Shamlaji Temple, Gujarat:

Shamlaji, likewise spelled Shamalaji, is a significant Hindu journey place in Aravalli region of Gujarat province of India. The Shamlaji temple is committed to Vishnu. Several other Hindu temples are found close by.

The current temple committed to Shamlaji, a form of Sri Vishnu was constructed around eleventh century in Chaulukya style, however the current design dates around fifth century. The figure of Vishnu in the safe-haven is likely seventh century, and the little sanctuary opposite houses a sixth century model of Shiva. The oldest flawless temple is the little ninth century Harishchandrani Chauri Temple, with a passage nearby. Several ruins of sanctuaries, dispersed icons and old block works surrounding the spot sets up artifact of the spot.

Architecture of Shamlaji Temple

Shamlaji temple is situated on the banks of the Meshvo waterway in the valley encompassed by well lush hills. It is likewise alluded to as Dholi Dhajawala because of white silk banner vacillating on top of the sanctuary.

Worked of white sandstone and block it is encircled by a divider with a door. It is of two stories, upheld on columns, and a covering with curves on each side. The lower courses of lavishly cut stone are of extraordinary age. Above them runs a frieze with a garbled example, and, over this, running right round the structure, an edge of elephants’ heads and forequarters cut in stone. Over this is a very farm worn frieze loaded with figures in bass-help, men riding a horse with bows, and animals. The elephant is an extremely incessant symbol. Other than the periphery frieze previously mentioned, there are, on the external divider, between each two points, bigger figures of semi-uncontrolled elephants hanging out in help, and, before the passageway, remains on one or the other side of the entryway a tremendous concrete elephant. Over the holy place, a pyramid-based pinnacle ascends into a tower like a high-bore cone with leveled sides. The forepart of the rooftop comprises of various little vaults springing from a level rooftop, or rather of a level trabeate rooftop, with arches to a great extent, the biggest being in the middle. Outside at all the points of the rooftop are figures of creatures and the gargoyles. On dividers, there are a few scenes from the legends Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Of the two engravings, one is to one side in the upper story and bears date 94 AD and 102 AD. This composition, cut in stone, isn’t extremely age-old and couldn’t be of the date it proclaims to record. It very well might be a record of a more seasoned engraving or the record of an old custom. The other, on copper at the passage of the sanctuary, records fixes executed in 1762 AD by the then Thakor of Tintoi. From these two engravings, name of the divinity is by all accounts Gadadharji, the holder of the club, a notable title of Vishnu, Krishna, or Shamlaji. The cow icons are additionally loved depictiong youth of Krishna as cowherd. It is one of the 154 significant journey locales of Vaishnavism.

The temple was asserted by Jains in the past. Years prior the Idar State rulers gave the fiefdom of Shamlaji sanctuary to the Modhari Rao Saheb with different towns like Revdar, Devdar, Napada, Khalsa, Sunsar, Modhari, and so forth The Rao of Modhari actually holds trusteeship of Shamlaji Temple.

From Shamlaji, symbols have been found of mothers stroking children. It could be Yashoda folding Krishna or might be that of Nanda, Gauri or Ambica. The Nandi (bull) found from the Ranchhodji Temple. Shamlaji is a model of the Gupta time frame. Similarly, a Gangaji symbol of the Gupta Period has likewise been found in Shamlaji.