Shiv Mandir, Kera

Gujarat, Kutch, Gandhinagar

22 kms south of Bhuj, in the village of Kera stands the ruins of a Shiva Temple that epitomises the love for architecture of the Solanki dynasty. The temple was destroyed in the 1819 earthquake and in the Bhuj earthquake of 2001, but the inner sanctum half of the main spire and many of the sculptures still remains and continue to attract devotees.

Legend

The Solankis, referred to as the "Chalukyas of Gujarat" were patrons of many important temples in the area. Their love for architecture are visible in the monuments and shrines they built. Shiva temple at Kera is one of the many temples built by the Solanki rulers

Architecture

The shrine is built of red stones in Solanki architectural style. The shrine has a circumlocutory passageway which gets natural lighting from the perforated windows. There are a few well-carved sculptures on the wall. The spire of the temple has eight triangle-shaped sculptures in the form of chaitya windows on each face of the spire. At the corners of the shrine, there are miniature spires, and the are built in the same way as the main large central spire. The external faces of the spires are adorned with elegantly carved sculptures. There are stone sculptures around the temple premises. Only the northern part of the original hall or Mandapa is there as of now. The deity is in the form of Linga.

Picture Courtesy: commons.wikimedia.org

Darsan Info

Temple is open from 6.00 AM to 7.00 PM

Darsan Dresscode

Devotees are advised to wear clean and conservative attire

Famous Festival

March - Shivrathri

Culture

Bhuj is a city in the Kutch district of Gujarat. Bhuj is a famous destination for shopping of handicraft work like bandhni (tie-dye) and leatherwork. In 1956 as well in 2001, the city was struck by a major earthquakes which caused a great loss of life and property. Many parts of Bhuj were demolished due to the extensive damage while the rest were repaired.