Sun Temple, Becharaji: History, Timings & Visitor Guide

Sun Temple is open every day, usually from early morning to late evening with a break in the afternoon. Darshan and aarti timings change with the season and on festival days.

• MorningOpens early morning (around 5 to 6 AM)
• AfternoonShort break around midday at many temples
• EveningEvening aarti around sunset, closes by about 8 to 9 PM

Ask the temple office on arrival for the day's aarti schedule.

Dress Code & Temple Rules

• DressModest, traditional clothes covering shoulders and knees
• FootwearRemove before entering; use the shoe stand
• PhotographyNot allowed inside the sanctum
• Not AllowedLeather items, tobacco, alcohol, non-veg food
• QueueFollow queue lines and staff instructions on festival days

The shrine proper of the Sun Temple was built during the reign of Bhima I of Chaulukya dynasty. Earlier, during 1024–1025, Mahmud of Ghazni had invaded Bhima's kingdom, and a force of around 20,000 soldiers had unsuccessfully tried to check his advance at Modhera. Historian A. K. Majumdar theorizes that the Sun Temple might have been built to commemorate this defense. On a block in the western wall of the cella, there is an upside-down inscription "Vikram Samvat 1083" carelessly incised in Devnagari script which corresponds to 1026–1027 CE. No other date is found. As the inscription is upside down, it evidences the destruction and reconstruction of the cella. Due to the position of the inscription, it is not firmly considered as the date of construction. On stylistic grounds, it is known that the Kunda with its corner shrines was built earlier at the beginning of the 11th century. The inscription is considered as the date of destruction by Ghazni instead of the construction. Soon after Bhima had returned to power, the temple proper, the miniature and the niche shrines in the tank were built shortly after 1026 CE. The dancing hall was added later, in the third quarter of the 11th century along with the gateways, the porch of the temple proper and the doorframes of the temple and the cella; during the reign of the Karna.

The temple is built on 23.6° latitude (approximately near Tropic of Cancer). The place was later known as Sita ni Chauri and Ramkund locally. No worship is offered here now. The temple is the Monument of National Importance and is maintained by the Archeological Survey of India.

It was added to the tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in December 2022.

Architecture of Sun Temple

The temple complex is constructed in the Māru-Gurjara architectural style, also known as the Chaulukya style. It comprises three axially aligned components: the sanctum (garbhagriha) enclosed within a hall (guḍhamaṇḍapa), an outer assembly hall (sabhamaṇḍapa or raṅgamaṇḍapa), and a sacred stepped reservoir (kuṇḍa).

The Sabhamandapa is not in continuation with Gudhamandapa but is placed little away as a separate structure. Both are built on a paved platform. Their roofs collapsed long ago leaving behind a few lower-most courses. Both roofs are 15' 9" in diameter but are constructed differently.