Ancient Shiva temple with Muslim architecture, more than 800 years old
- ११६२, Old City, Mandvi ni Pol, Bhadra
This temple has seen various rulers and governments over the years. But people’s faith in Ramnath Mahadev remains unchanged.
Hindu-Muslim religious harmony
The origin story of this temple has captivated local residents for centuries. Hemaben Bhatt, a member of the local priest family that has always been at the helm of the temple shares: “Hundreds of years ago, a priest found a Shiva idol on the banks of the river Sabarmati. To keep it safe, he buried it underground. Later, during Sultan Shah’s reign a temple was built on top, not quite like any other Shiva temple, as it was the temple was commissioned by a Muslim ruler!! A beautiful confluence of Hindu-Muslim religious harmony, still celebrated today!
Hidden idol
The shiva-ling, or the idol of Shiva is about 15 feet underground, accessible only by a staircase. The local residents believe that once the Sabarmati River flowed through here. Visit the temple for these and many other stories!