Sompura Salat

Last updated

Sompura Salat are a Hindu stone-worker community of Gujarat, They are also found in southern Rajasthan, specially in the Mewar region. [1] Their origin is said to be from Prabhas Patan famous for the Somnath temple. The term "salat" is derived from Shilavat, the old term for a temple architect.

Contents

Culture

Members of this clan took up artistic and masonry works as their occupation. [2] They maintain clan exogamy as a strict rule for marriage. [3] [2]

The community is vegetarian in diet and also avoids eating onions, garlic, white cucumber and lentils. [2] They worship Ashapura Mata as their clan deity. [2] They are a Shivaite community and worship Shiva as chief deity. They, however, also observe many Hindu festivals like Uthasini, Ramanavami, Janamashtmi, Holi, Diwali while Shivaratri and Navaratri are the main festivals for the community. [2]

Occupation

They are specialized in masonry works, artistic carvings and sculpting as well as artistic stone shaping works, especially in works of idol-making. [2] Among the notable architecture built by them are Hawa Mahal, the royal palace near Wadhwan built for the Sultanate of Gujarat and more recently the Somnath Temple built after independence of India. [2]

Demography

The community is found throughout Gujarat but largely are concentrated in Saurashtra region. [2] Outside India, their population is found in United Kingdom and United States of America. [2]

Restoration and building of temples

Manasthambha infront of Hutheesing Jain Temple Hutessing Temple3 Ahmedabad.JPG
Manasthambha infront of Hutheesing Jain Temple

Prabhashankar Oghadbhai [4] of Palitana had been one of the leading designers of Nagar style of temples. He was awarded the Padmashri by the Government of India. The design and building of the modern Somnath Temple, [5] known as Somnath Maha Meru Prasad, was executed by him.

While their center of activity is in Gujarat and Rajasthan, they now undertake temple architecture in different parts of India, as well as overseas. They follow texts written in the 15th century such as Prasad Manjari, written during the rule of Rana Raimal by brothers Mandan and Nathji. They originally hailed from Patan, Gujarat and were invited to settle in Chittorgarh. During the past five centuries, they have been involved in building and restoration of numerous Jain temples in Gujarat and southern Rajasthan, as well as temples built by Jains in other parts of India. [6]

In 1992, Chandrakant Sompura, grandson of Prabhashankar [7] had designed the Sompura Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar. [8] He was asked by Ashok Singhal, chief of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, to design and build the Ram Janmabhoomi temple. [9] He was the chief architect of Ayodhya Ram Mandir and was assisted by his sons, Ashish and Nikhil. [10]

The world's largest Ram Temple, a proposed replica of Angkor Wat to be built in Champaran, Bihar, is being designed by Piyush Sompura. [11]

C.P. Trivedi and Sons, founded by Chandulal P. Trivedi [12] from the Sompura clan, were responsible for the restoration of the Delwara Jain temples, the Jain temples at Jaisalmer Fort and the Amar Sagar Lake. They also designed the Kirti Stumbh at Hutheesing Wadi in Ahmedabad, Oswal Jain Temple in Nairobi, Kenya, Jain Center, Leicester, UK, [13] Atma Vallabh Smarak, Delhi, and the Global Vipassana Pagoda at Gorai in northwest Mumbai.

Virendra Trivedi, nephew of Chandulal Trivedi, [14] also participated on the Global Vipassana Pagoda project, but is best known for being the Chief Architect responsible for the Akshardham temple in New Delhi. [15] [16] [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somnath temple</span> Hindu temple in Gujarat, India

The Somanath temple or Deo Patan, is a Hindu temple located in Prabhas Patan, Veraval in Gujarat, India. It is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for Hindus and is the first among the twelve jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. It is unclear when the first version of the Somnath temple was built, with estimates varying between the early centuries of the 1st millennium and about the 9th century CE. The temple is not mentioned in ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism as Somnath nomenclature, but the "Prabhasa-Pattana" is mentioned as a tirtha, where this temple exists. For example, the Mahabharata in Chapters 109, 118, and 119 of Book 3, and Sections 10.45 and 10.78 of the Bhagavata Purana state Prabhasa to be a tirtha on the coastline of Saurashtra.

Wadhwan, also spelled Vadhwan, is a city and a municipality in Surendranagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Located on the banks of the Bhogavo River, around 3 km from Surendranagar and 111 km from Ahmedabad, Wadhwan is a known location for its old world royal charm and serene space with a life and culture of its own. It was historically the capital of Wadhwan State.

Prabhas Patan, also known as Somnath Patan, historically named Dev Patan, is locality situated in Veraval, Gir Somnath district in Saurashtra region of Gujarat, India. Somnath temple, a place of pilgrimage due to its importance as Jyotirlinga site dedicated to Shiva, is located here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swaminarayan Akshardham (Delhi)</span> Spiritual and cultural Mandir dedicated to harmony

Swaminarayan Akshardham is a Hindu temple, and spiritual-cultural campus in Delhi, India. The temple is close to the border with Noida. Also referred to as Akshardham Temple or Akshardham Delhi, the complex displays millennia of traditional and modern Hindu culture, spirituality, and architecture. Inspired by Yogiji Maharaj and created by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, it was constructed by BAPS. It is the world's second-largest BAPS Hindu temple, following Akshardham, New Jersey, in the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swaminarayan Akshardham (Gandhinagar)</span> Hindu temple in Gandhinagar

Swaminarayan Akshardham in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India is a large Hindu temple complex inspired by Yogiji Maharaj (1892–1971) the fourth spiritual successor of Swaminarayan, and created by Pramukh Swami Maharaj (1921–2016), the fifth spiritual successor of Swaminarayan according to the BAPS denomination of Swaminarayan Hinduism. Located in the capital of Gujarat, the complex was built over 13 years and is a tribute to Swaminarayan and his life and teachings. At the center of the 23-acre complex is the Akshardham mandir, which is built from 6,000 metric tons of pink sandstone from Rajasthan. The complex's name refers to the divine abode of Swaminarayan in the BAPS philosophy; followers of Swaminarayan believe that the jiva or soul goes to Akshardham after attaining moksha, or liberation. BAPS followers worship Swaminarayan as God almighty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Rajasthan</span> Architecture in the Indian state of Rajasthan

The architecture of the Indian state of Rajasthan has usually been a regional variant of the style of Indian architecture prevailing in north India at the time. Rajasthan is especially notable for the forts and palaces of the many Rajput rulers, which are popular tourist attractions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salunkhe</span>

Salunkhe (साळुंखे) is the surname of a prominent Maratha clan mostly from Maharashtra and neighbouring states in India.

The Sompura Brahmin are a Hindu caste found in the state of Gujarat and Rajasthan in India. They are a sub-group of the Brahmin community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Gujarat</span> Overview of tourism in Gujarat, India

Gujarat is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about 1,600 km (990 mi) is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some 196,024 km2 (75,685 sq mi); and the ninth-most populous state, with a population of 60.4 million. It is a popular tourist destination in the country and was visited by 19.5 million domestic tourists and 210 thousand international tourists in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hutheesing Jain Temple</span> Temple in Gujarat, India

Hutheesing Temple is a Jain temple in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India. It was constructed in 1848 by the Hutheesing family. The temple blends the old Maru-Gurjara temple architecture style with new architectural elements of haveli in its design.

Muni Jinvijayji was a scholar of orientalism, archeology, indology and Jainism from India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaulukya dynasty</span> Indian dynasty that ruled Gujarat from c. 940 to 1244

The Chaulukya dynasty, also Solanki dynasty, was a dynasty that ruled parts of what are now Gujarat and Rajasthan in north-western India, between c. 940 CE and c. 1244 CE. Their capital was located at Anahilavada. At times, their rule extended to the Malwa region in present-day Madhya Pradesh. The family is also known as the "Solanki dynasty" in the vernacular literature. They belonged to the Solanki clan of Rajputs.

<i>Ram Rath Yatra</i> 1990 political–religious rally in India

The Ram Rath Yatra was a political and religious rally that lasted from September to October 1990. It was organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its Hindu nationalist affiliates, and led by the then-president of the BJP, L. K. Advani. The purpose of the yatra was to support the agitation, led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and its affiliates in the Sangh Parivar, to erect a temple to the Hindu deity Rama on the site of the Babri Masjid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Māru-Gurjara architecture</span> Style of north Indian temple architecture

Māru-Gurjara architecture or Solaṅkī style, is the style of West Indian temple architecture that originated in Gujarat and Rajasthan from the 11th to 13th centuries, under the Chaulukya dynasty. Although originating as a regional style in Hindu temple architecture, it became especially popular in Jain temples, and mainly under Jain patronage later spread across India, then later to diaspora communities around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khodaldham</span> Hindu temple in Gujarat, India

Khodaldham is a Hindu temple complex dedicated to Khodal, a patron deity of Leuva Patel community, located in Kagvad in Rajkot district, Gujarat, India. The temple was opened in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ambika Temple, Girnar</span> Hindu temple in Gujarat, India

Ambika Temple, also known as Ambaji Temple, is a temple dedicated to goddess Ambikaon Girnar hill in Junagadh, Gujarat, India. The earliest mention of the temple is recorded in the 8th century. The present temple was built in the 15th century.

The Architecture of Gujarat consists of architecture in the Indian state of Gujarat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shri Atma Vallabh Jain Smarak</span> Jain temple in Delhi, India

Shri Atma Vallabh Jain Smarak also popularly known as Vallabh Smarak Jain Mandir Tirth is a Jain temple and a multi-faceted memorial in the sacred memory of Jain Acharya Shri Vijay Vallabh Surishwer Ji, located on GT Karnal Road, Delhi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ram Mandir</span> Temple of the Hindu deity Rama in Ayodhya, India

The Ram Mandir is an under-construction Hindu temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India. Many Hindus believe that it is located at the site of Ram Janmabhoomi, the mythical birthplace of Rama, a principal deity of Hinduism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balak Ram</span> Child form of Hindu deity Rama

Balak Ram is a form of Rama, an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, and is the presiding deity of the Ram Mandir, the third largest Hindu temple in the world.

References

  1. ↑ Folk Icons and Rituals in Tribal Life, Pramod Kumar, Abhinav Publications, 1984, p. 5-12
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Gujarat, Part 3. 2003. pp. 1313–14. ISBN   9788179911068.
  3. ↑ Krishna Rao, K. S. (2008). Global Encyclopaedia of the Ethnography edited by K.S. Krishna Rao. p. 467. ISBN   9788182202085.
  4. ↑ Kshirarnava, Prabhashankar Oghadbhai Sompura, 1967
  5. ↑ Prasad Manjari, Prabhashankar Oghadbhai Sompura, 1965
  6. ↑ P.A (2004-03-04). "A SHRINE turning into a work of ART". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 2004-04-04. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  7. ↑ "कैसा होगा प्रस्तावित मंदिर? | BBC Hindi". www.bbc.co.uk. 2002. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  8. ↑ "Akshardham architect sends up a prayer". www.indianexpress.com. 2002. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  9. ↑ "'No one says Jai Shri Ram to me anymore' | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis". dna. 2007-04-19. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  10. ↑ "Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Facts And Details You Must Know" . Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  11. ↑ चंपारण में बनेगा विश्व का सबसे वृहद राम मंदिर, https://www.prabhasakshi.com/ShowArticle.aspx?ArticleId=120621-170449-100000, June 21, 2012
  12. ↑ Lives of Indian Images, Richard H. Davis, p. xii, Princeton University Press, 1999
  13. ↑ Jain Samaj Leicester, Our History "Jain Samaj Leicester - About | Our History". Archived from the original on 2015-01-23. Retrieved 2015-01-23.
  14. ↑ "Hindu Temple Architecture Design Project | Arc". templearchitectvkt.com. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  15. ↑ "A Day At A Theme Park Temple". outlookindia.com. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  16. ↑ "Hindu Temple Architecture Design Project | Arc". templearchitectvkt.com. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  17. ↑ SINGH, KAVITA (2010). "TEMPLE OF ETERNAL RETURN: THE SWĀMINĀRĀYAN AKSHARDHĀM COMPLEX IN DELHI". Artibus Asiae. 70 (1): 47–76. ISSN   0004-3648. JSTOR   20801632.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.