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The Rudra Mahal at Sidhpur
was conceived and constructed as a tribute to Mahadev, by the first
Solanki king of Gujarat, Mulraj. Construction of the Rudra Mahal started
probably in 983 AD and took 175 years to complete.
Twenty years after ascending to the throne, Mulraj had put his kingdom
into order, and was in a position to turn to more unworldly things. Mulraj
decided that the bank of the river Saraswati was a fitting site for the
temple. The 150 yard long and 135 yard wide temple also had 11 smaller
temples, and three 40-feet high gates.
Approximately
ten years after the work on the temple had started, Mulraj breathed his
last. The succeeding four generations did nothing to further the work.
The fifth generation, Siddharaja Jaisinh, restarted the work on the
structure. After 14 years of incessant work, the temple was finally
completed.
THE ARCHITECTURE
The main temple in the complex was 150 ft x 100 ft, the largest temple,
then, Somnath, was by comparison much smaller; a mere 130 feet x 75 feet
the main temple had a three-storey high foyer. It is said that the entire
structure rested on 1600 pillars.