Modhera Dance Festival

 

 

At a glance

Psychedelic hues of red, yellow, green lights illuminating nooks and corners of intricately carved the Sun Temple of Modhera, during dark and breezy nights of January, create a Chiaroscuro effect of time and space! The Sun Temple of Modhera is a masterpiece of the Golden Age of the Solanki Empire, which hosts the annual Dance Festival and flaunts the glory and splendor of that era. The Modhera Dance Festival which is also prevalently known as the Uttarardh Mahotsavor Modhera Utsavis is one of the most famous celebration of art, music, dance and culture, in this part of the country. This unique occurrence showcases traditional dance forms of the region as well as acts as a platform bringing together the cultural ethos of other regions expressed in form of dance or nritya.

Modhera, the temple of the Sun narrating the history and grandeur of its patrons, the Solankis, is an architectural marvel. This peerless temple space acts as a grandiose backdrop for the vibrant expression of dancers and aesthetical ethnicity of the country. Dance troupes and performers from all regions of the nation bring along a panorama of varied dance forms and styles, interlaced with the essence of their origins. The performers blend in the ambience and bring life to the sandstone figurines carved on the edifice of the temple, singing and narrating legends of times bygone.

The three day festival of Uttarardh Mahotsavis is organized by the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited (TCGL), to venerate and celebrate the inherited treasure of performing arts of the country. The Modhera festival is an ideal opportunity to experience living heritage of Indian dance and music while traversing back in time sitting in the lap of golden history.

When

The exclusive three day Modhera Dance Festival is held every year during the third week end of January after the conclusion of Uttarayan festival.

Where

The environs of the Sun Temple in Modhera act a venue and host of this enchanting festival. Modhera is located in the South-west of Mehsana District and is 25 km away from the town of Mehsana.

Interesting facts

This incredible festival of dance, Uttarardh Mahotsav, derives its name from the planetary and astronomical configuration of the Sun. The festival which takes place every year after Uttarayan, at the Modhera temple dedicated to the Sun God venerates the rotational cycle of the earth around the Sun. Uttarayan, the day when the sun starts his voyage towards Uttar or North indicates the end of winter and the beginning of longer days with a pleasant breeze. During Uttarayan, the Sun transmigrates from one planet to the other, it travels from Dhanu or Sagittarius to Makara that is Capricorn. Halfway through this voyage, the time when ‘ardh’ or half of ‘uttar’ or Northward journey is over, the period is known as Uttararadh.
                       
                         The noteworthy technological splendor of the Modhera temple architecture is the planned engineering based on the planetary position of the planets and the Sun. The main temple or the sanctum is designed focusing on the rays of rising and setting Sun during Equinox. The way the edifice is structured, it ensured on the days of Equinox, that soft, linear rays of Sun showered it with illumination.
                       

History

Dance or nritya in India is considered an artistic yoga revealing the spiritual through the corporeal. In the history of India, classical dance forms and temple architecture have enjoyed a very amiable alliance. Innumerable literary and historical evidences state the close association of the expressional form of dance and sacred vicinity of temples. Dance performances presented in the holy premises venerated god while also serving as a platform to convey messages to all social strata on an equal echelon. ‘Nagar Utsav’ was organized in the vicinity of all temples including the sun temples. In respect of the rich cultural legacy of the country and to revive the tradition, the State Government created the annual event of the Modhera Dance Festival.

Nearby destinations

Wild Ass Sanctuary at Little Rann Of Kutch, Patan, Sidhpur

Event calendar for the next five years

Disclaimer: You are requested to check the exact dates with  Gujarat Tourism Office before finalising your travel plans for this festival.

Who Comes

The dance festival is frequently visited by art and dance connoisseurs from all across the world. Classical and folk dancers and musicians from different states of the country exhibit their talent and flair while culture enthusiasts become part of the festival to witness this splendid event. Inhabitants and natives from near by villages also are an indigenous part of the occasion.

CORREA'S LANDMARK LEGACY ( died on 17 June' 2015 At Mumbai)

Jun 18 2015 : Courtesy : Mirror (Ahmedabad)- Times of India-Ahmedbad

CORREA'S LANDMARK LEGACY

AHMEDABAD





GANDHI SMARAK SANGRAHALAY SABARMATI ASHRAM
 
This memorial museum was erected in 1963 in homage to Mahatma Gandhi, and to propagate his ideas


CAMA HOTEL, KHANPUR
 
Rustom Cama hired Correa to build it in 1960.The 26-room hotel was inaugurated a day before Gujarat was formed

GUN HOUSE, KHANPUR
This was built in 1962 to house offices, showroom of the Ahmedabad Rifle Association. The building was designed to give direct access to independent rentable offices


SP STADIUM, NAVRANGPURA
 
Former May Chinubhai Chimanbhai hired Correa to design the stadium and club house in 1960. It has a unique cantilever, pillar-less stadium and can hold 50,000 spectators


NAVRANGPURA BUS STAND, SWASTIK CROSSROADS
 
This is one of the busiest bus stands in the city. However, not many know that Charles Correa had built this architectural wonder

National Crafts Museum, New Delhi

National Crafts Museum is situated on the corner of the Pragati Maidan, facing the Purana Qila complex in New Delhi. It is run by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.

The Kanchanjunga Apartments, Mumbai 
 

Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon

The British Council Building, New Delhi

Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur



BV DOSHI
 
 Renowned architect

It is a huge personal loss for me. I have known him for more than 60 years. He was a close family friend and a great professional. It was with him that I had initially thought of starting an architecture school, but he wanted to start one in Bombay while I was keen on Ahmedabad. After I started CEPT, he used to visit us often and admired the way the institute had shaped up. I was also the best man at his wedding.Sadly, the city has failed to preserve the buildings designed by the legendary architect, be it Dilip Parekh's bungalow or Ramkrishna Hari Vallabhdas's haveli or the bus terminus. We must revive the glory of his work. Correa and his buildings inspire people to keep growing and doing better.
BIMAL PATEL President, CEPT University THE NOTED
architect had visited CEPT University in 2014 and in teracted with students as part of a talk series.Charles Correa was the most accomplished and significant Indian architect of his generation and when he spoke to students at CEPT, the event became most memorable for aspiring architects.Charles spoke like a simple problem solver, who is concerned with the practical problems that people face as they go about their lives ­ problems of function, of dealing with the climate and of building an identity. He believed that architects have to be optimistic and believe that difficult problems can be solved. Architects have to show what can be done through their projects. They have to offer solutions, not analyses as social scientists do, or comments, or words of wisdom as philosophers do.Charles did not speak like a mystical guru or use his personality to mesmerize people. The simplicity of his talk is what most inspired young students.The architect's note appreciating my work will always remain my prized possession.Charles requested me to show my work at his conference in Goa last March. I was thrilled that, frail as he was, he attended my session.
TRIDIP SUHRUD Director, Sabarmati Ashram CHARLES
Correa began de signing the Gandhi memorial in 1960 and finished it in 1963.The challenge was to design a building that would reflect the ethos of Hriday Kunj by interpreting the character of the ashram and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. It had to be more than a structure of 1960s. Correa ensured uniformity and openness that Gandhiji desired his home to be.The materials used in the construction are similar to other buildings in the ashram: tiled roofs, brick walls, stone floors and wooden doors. No glass windows are used anywhere; light and ventilation are provided by operable wooden louvres. These elements combine to form a pattern of tiled roofs, in a typology analogous to the villages so central to Gandhiji's thinking. They are grouped in a meandering pattern, creating a pathway along which the visitor progresses towards the centrality of the water court.
--Inputs from ebuild.in

NEW EASTINN HOTEL IN VADODARA

Mr. Sameer Dharkar, Managing Director of Absolute Hotel Services India/Middle East is delighted to announce the new management agreement with Paramount Hospitality and Infraprojects LLP, for newly build property in Vadodara, Eastin Residences Vadodara which is scheduled to open in 2016.

Mr. Sameer Dharkar, Managing Director AHSI

Eastin Residences Vadodara is a 4 star hotel, located in Alkapuri, the western side of Vadodara City and also the commercial hub. The hotel is conveniently located just 15 minutes away from the airport.
All 43 rooms will have modern architecture which will blend well with the rustic setting. The hotel facilities provide value and flexibility to serve the needs of customers for extended stays, whether for business or pleasure; spacious accommodation, personalized services and modern facilities. Facilities will include an all day dining restaurant serving local and regional favourites, gym and a mini mart.
We are thrilled to introduce Eastin Residences Vadodara. After successful one year of operations of Eastin Hotel Ahmedabad this will be our second Eastin Hotel in Gujaratdz said Mr. Sameer Dharkar, Managing Director of Absolute Hotel Services India/Middle East.

No entry for non-Hindus’ to Somnath Temple

Now non-Hindus will have to take permission from office of general manager of Shree Somnath Trust before entering into Somnath Temple for darshan. It has been made mandatory to all non-Hindu pilgrims.

Source : TOI

North Gujarat

• Maa Ambaji

  Ambaji is an important temple town with millions of devotees visiting the Ambaji temple every year. It is one of the 51 Shaktipeeths. The full moon of Bhadrapad is one of the four most important festival days of the year, when farmers and agriculturists come to Ambaji.
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  Gabbar Hill

  Gabbar (or Gabbargadh), a small hillock about four km to the west of Ambaji village, is believed to have been the original seat of the goddess, the site of Krishna's tonsorial ceremony (ritual head-shaving), and the abode of the divine Mahishasur-Mardini. The hill is very steep and difficult to climb. There are 300 stone steps at the foot of the hill after which the pilgrims have to climb through a narrow dangerous track. On the flat top of the hill there is a small niche facing the temple of Ambaji, in which a well-protected lamp is kept constantly burning, and can be seen from the main Ambaji temple at night. There are footprints of the Goddess under a pipal tree, which are worshipped.

• Shri Koteshwar Mahadev

  Shri Koteshwar Mahadev Temple is situated 8 km from Ambaji near Saraswati River. As per a legend there was an Ashram of Rushi Valmiki, the author of Ramayana, near Valmiki Mahadev temple and the King of Mevad, Maha Rana Pratap had renovated this holy temple, It is said that during the Mutiny of Independence in 1857, Nana Saheb Peshwa had taken his abode in the cave of this temple. This Place is a beautiful & peaceful in forest.
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  Kamakshi Mandir

  Kamakshi Mandir is situated in the vicinity of Kumbhariya Jain Temple at a distance of 3.6 km from Ambaji. Tourists visit the temple to learn about various incarnations of Adhya Shakti Mata. Tourists can also receive the blessings of one of the 51 Shaktipeeths at this location. The temple is finely decorated during the Navratri festival celebration and is visited by tourists and devotees in large numbers.

• Kumbhariya Jain Temple

  Kumbhariya Jain Temples are a group of Jain temples, constructed about 900 years ago. The temples are situated at a distance of 2.2 km from Ambaji in the district of Banaskantha, Gujarat. The group of temples is devoted to the five Jain Tirthankaras namely, Mahavira, Parshvanath, Neminath, Shantinath and Sambhavanath.
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  Kailash Hill

  Kailash Hill Sunset is a famous picnic spot and a pilgrimage site, which is about 1.5 km away from the Maa Amba Bhavani Temple. It has a Shivalaya on the top of the Kailash tekari, which can be reached only by climbing steps carved on the hill. A huge artistic stone gate has also been constructed at the Mahadev Temple by Shri Arasuri Ambaji Mata Devasthan Trust.

• Taranga Hill

  Taranga is distance at 50 Kms from Ambaji, it is a three peaked hill in the Mehsana District of Gujarat. The river Rupen flows along the Taranga Hills; and to the east flows the river Sabarmati. Taranga tirtha is considered one of the most important Shvetambar Jain temples, one of the five most important mahatirthas of the Jains. Of the 108 places known as Siddhachal, where holy people have attained enlightenment, one is called "Tarangir". Temples of such magnitude as this one are generally built at a siddh kshetra, a holy place where saints are said to have attained enlightment. It is popularly believed that 35,000,000 munis, including Vardutt and Sagardutt, attained moksha here. Under the guidance of renowned Jain scholar and poet Hemachandracharya, the Solanki King Kumarpala (1145-72), ruling from the capital in Patan, converted to Jainism and laid the foundation for this colossal temple, adding it to his growing legacy, along with the restoration of the ruined Somnath temple and the construction of the walls of Vadnagar. It was renovated on a large scale in the 16th century during the rule of the Mughal emperor Akbar, who supported diversity of religions.
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  Ranki Vaav

  Rani (Queen) Udayamati commissioned this vav or stepwell, in 1063 in the memory of her husband King Bhimdev I of the Solanki dynasty. The vav was later flooded by the nearby Saraswati river and silted over until the late 1980s, when it was excavated by the Archeological Survey of India, with the carvings found in pristine condition. Rani Ki Vav is amongst the finest stepwells in India, and one of the most famous legacies of the ancient capital city. Ranki Vaav's distance is 1 hour from Mehsana The vavs of Gujarat are not merely sites for collecting water and socialising, but also simultaneously hold great spiritual significance. They were originally constructed quite simply, but became more intricate over the years, perhaps to make explicit this ancient concept of the sanctity of water by carving it out in stone deities. You may thus enter Rani Ki Vav as if it is a subterranean temple.

• Modhera Temple

  As one traverses the length and breadth of Gujarat, one constantly stumbles across architectural legacies of the' Solanki' rule. You keep coming across, living spaces and monuments of another time, offering an eclectic glimpse of the artistic and ingenious beauty that makes this exotically state vibrant. A soothing drive amidst green farmlands just 35 km away from Mehsana on the way to the temples of goddess Bahucharaji reposes the village of Modhera. Set along the backdrop of River Pushpavati, surrounded by a terra-formed garden of flowering trees and songs of birds, rests the famed Sun temple of Modhera.
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  Vadnagar Kirti Toran

  The town is famous for its torans, a pair of 12th century columns supporting an arch, about 40 feet tall built in red and yellow sandstone, just north of the walled town. They stand majestically on the bank of Sharmistha Talav, on a road going down from Arjun Bari. They are among the few surviving examples of the entrance gates, once a regular feature of the architecture of Gujarat in Solanki period. The carving style is similar to the Rudra Mahalaya at Sidhpur. Perhaps erected after a war victory, the architecture is embellished with carvings of battle and hunting scenes. The one to the east is in better condition and has been used as a symbol of Gujarat in recent times. The torans might have served as an entrance to a large temple complex, but there are no remains found here. distance: By road: Mehsana (47km), Ahmedabad (111km). Local Transport: Non-metered auto rickshaws.