Grandeur to ruins -the Sidhpur Rudramahalaya explored
- arsargags
- Jan 16, 2021
- 5 min read
Rudramahalaya also known as Rudramal is a heritage monument in ruins in Sidhpur, Patan district, Gujarat. This urban tale explores understandings and reflections based on a brief visit to this unexplored gem.
Among many surprises travel offered this has been the best among architectural marvels. A monument awaiting its slow death narrating its story of transformation from temple to mosque and from grandeur to neglect through its ruins.
If all lost trails lead to such amazing surprises, let's say
It's a joy to get lost once in a while.
Heritage in ruins the first impressions:
The complex appeared out of nowhere at the end of intertwining gallies(streets) of Sidhpur. Situated amidst a cluster of unique timber houses and small mandirs(temple) it was least expected to end up discovering such an impressive monument while wandering.
The street front and the ruins appeared to be an interesting place to contemplate and find the route back thus the exploration began.Could not figure out more at first sight other than its nature being a "Nagara" Hindu temple ruin due to the characteristic roof detailing with shikhara and urushikhara.
A walk and glance gave insight to the temple being dedicated to Lord Shiva identified with the presence of the Nandi statue in front of the garbhagriha. ( sanctum sanctorum of Hindu temple -where the deity is placed). Nobody guards the doors now -nor any path definitions by ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) or tourism board exists in the complex to guide through the Mahal. It's an open book with the freedom to explore for the vagabonds.
The time inside Rudramahalaya was spent exploring the complex, reflecting and encapsulating its tale. On extraction of facts from built fabric and from parallel readings could understand the following details.
History and evolution of Rudramahalaya:
Rudramahalaya the temple is said to be constructed around 1140 AD by Chalukya dynasty kings Mularaja and Jayasimha Siddharaja and it used to be a major landmark of the place.
Tracing more about the history of the place could understand that Sidhpur was named after the Sidharaja kings who ruled the land during the tenth century. The temple was later destroyed and reconfigured by Ahmad Shah in the 15th century during the invasion. The role of the religious precinct transformed from being the principal temple complex to a congregational mosque.
Rudramahalaya has been a congregational mosque from the 1415's till the late 1970s. After the 1970s it was considered as a monument but the conservation and documentation process was surprisingly left in between. The multiple identities this beauty in ruins possess are being Siddharajas Shiva temple and Ahmed Shahs congregational mosque.
Significant Architectural features:
Rudramahalaya stands apart from other temples converted to mosques during the political invasion in India ( ex: Qutb complex), with its architectural style being a merger between Hindu and Islamic styles. Traces of both eras are present in the precinct. It is regarded as a significant contributor in the development of 15th-century temple architecture of Gujarat and Rajasthan (The Maru-Gurjara architecture / Chalukya style ) and Indo-Islamic architecture by historians.
The remaining traces of the temple at present include two toranas(gateways) and double storied halls of the principal temple. Among which the toranas is of unique design and intricate ornamentation in columns. Torana is a gateway usually of stone marking the entrance to a Buddhist shrine or to a Hindu temple, typically consisting of two pillars carrying two or three transverse beams that extend beyond the pillars on either side.
It was a magnificent multistoried Shiva temple with eleven subsidiary shrines and used to be one of the most extravagantly decorated temples of the 12th century. Being a major pilgrimage center and being in close proximity to Patan, the political center of the Chalukyan kingdom can be understood as the reason for a temple of such a massive scale to be constructed in Sidhpur.
When the temple was later destroyed and reconfigured it can be assumed these structures were scattered and rearranged. Complex fragments were given a new identity and functions in the mosque.
The pillars and ceilings were reused and here it acted as a determining factor in deciding the size and ceiling height of the congregational hall. It was a common practice then to reuse temple ruins such as stone blocks, pillars, etc present to create new structures by invaders. Additional elements from demolished small Hindu and Jain temples were also incorporated into mosques during this conversion. Both Hindu and Muslim craftsmen were part of the redesign of Rudramahalaya.
The spatial organization of the mosque was greatly influenced by the location of garbhagriha and sub-shrines of the temple. Three sub-shrines were made part of the design of the mosque, two of them forming the focus points and mihrabs on the qibla wall. ( mihrab is a niche in the wall of a mosque at the point nearest to Mecca towards which the congregation faces to pray)
Such monuments which are an amalgamation of styles need to be perceived as dynamic historical traces of the period and as living symbols of history acknowledging both Hindu and Muslim dynasty reign.
Present:
Rudramahalaya in comparison to Bohra houses is a more popular name and its existence is acknowledged among natives while the situation is more critical for Vohrawaads. Way finding is a bit difficult inside this residential cluster still highly recommending visiting the place as it's worth the effort for all art, history, architecture, and travel enthusiasts.
Could find a 5-year kid of the neighborhood being a responsible citizen and guard the monument and advice us, the lost travelers, to not touch the walls as it is delicate. Along with natural factors like seismic activity, neglect in saving the heritage is accelerating the decay of the Rudramahalaya. A quick action to protect the monument is a need of time.
Thoughts to ponder:
Why are these heritage marvels neglected and left to decay?
It's not a single case of Sidhpur as a lost city for most of the heritage precincts outside the metro cities' situation is similar. Even for metro cities compared to other development projects, heritage protection, and preservation projects run at a very slow pace.
Our understanding of society is incomplete without insight into the political and cultural evolution pattern of the place, for which these monuments are valuable assets of the past.
As a collective society are we trying to erase history by closing our eyes towards these marvels? It's very pathetic that even present residents of historic places remain unaware of the real epic-the Mahabharata of our country!!
As we step towards futuristic development we need to extend interventions to the lost ghost towns and complexes like Rudramahalaya. A sensitive rejuvenation strategy respecting heritage, both tangible and intangible can aid in up-lifting these areas economically with the tourism and cultural potential they offer.
Let us embrace our past along with envisioning the future.
Know more on the context-the heritage town of Sidhpur :
The Sidhpur is home to another architectural gem-the Bohra houses timber residential havelis of Dawoodis inspired by Victorian townscape. To know more on Sidhpur architectural gems and places to visit, give a read
Ref:
Architectural Histories Entwined: The Rudra-Mahalaya/Congregational Mosque of Siddhpur, Gujarat-Alka Patel,(Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians)
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