I heard of Siddhpur on my trip to Bahuchara Ji. We had some time on hand after visiting Bahuchara Mata and Umiya Mata at Unjha. So, Jaya suggested visiting Siddhpur for the houses with lovely facades. Since the sun was about to set, we thought we could simply drive by those houses and be back in Ahmedabad.
Destiny had other plans though. We stopped at the roadside to ask directions and just in front of us was a board announcing Sristhal Museum in Siddhpur. Now the word Sristhal raised my curiosity as it means the land of the Sri or Lakshmi. We decided to visit the museum first and then the houses if time permits.
This is how the magic of yatra unravels. When you are in the kshetra, the right pointers will simply appear before you.
Sristhal / Matru Gaya Tirtha Kshetra – Siddhpur
At the Sristhal museum, a board saying Matru Gaya Tirtha Kshetra greeted us. A look inside the gates showed me well-manicured gardens and nothing like a Tirtha Kshetra with temples and most importantly a waterbody. Anyway, we stepped inside. We were pointed to a newly built museum on one side.
We also got to know about the Bindu Sarovar and temples that are a little inside the complex. As it was evening, we decided to see the museum first.
Sristhal Museum
Outside the museum, we first saw a double-story Toran on four pillars. It is a unique structure; I do not recall seeing it anywhere else. However, no board told me what it is. I hoped that the museum would.
Inside the museum, we are led by a guide down a flight of steps into a well-like formation. This is the Tirtha Gallery. Surrounding us was a life-size mural telling us the story of the Tirtha Kshetra in miniature painting style. The story begins with Manu, the first human being and then travels down to Parashuram in his lineage.
Parshuram had killed his mother Renuka at the order of his father Rishi Jamadagni. He did the Prayshchit or repentance here at Siddhpur. The mural depicts that episode among others.
The visual depiction centers around Bindu Sarovar, which is the main Tirtha here. There are lots of Matrika pr mother sculptures here. They highlight the fact that Tirtha is dedicated to mothers. There is also a depiction of nature worship, for nature is also seen as a nurturing mother.
Itihasa or the history gallery is one storey up. It displays coins, tools and other archaeological artefacts from Gujarat. There are Jain paintings and cosmology sculptures.
Another level up is Samaj or the society gallery, which showcases the traditions and rituals, particularly of North Gujarat. I loved the wooden windows and household items on display here.
Bindu Sarovar Matrugaya
After relishing the museum, we walked towards Bindu Sarovar. I was expecting a large pond, but what we found was a small rectangular pond surrounded by many small temples and mandapas.
Bindu Sarovar is mentioned in Rig Veda as Dashu village. Van Parva of Mahabharata also mentions that Pandavas visited Tirtha during their exile. As per the Pandit Ji and local Sthala Purana, this is also the land of Kapil Muni along Prajapati Kardam Muni and his wife Devahuti, the daughter of Manu.
It reminded me of the Bindu Sarovar in Bhubaneshwar which is also surrounded by temples. This one is very small though.
Temples at Matrugaya
On one side of this pond, there is a temple of Shri Matrugaya Bhagwan or Gaya Gadadhar Bhagwan – which is a small but the main temple of the Tirtha. Then there is a temple dedicated to Kapil Muni. Another temple is dedicated to Rishi Kardam and his wife Devahuti who were supposed to have an ashram here.
On the opposite side are small temples dedicated to Saraswati, Annapurna and Garuda. Behind them is an ancient Shiva temple.
There are two mandapas on either side. I assume they are used for Tarpana rituals. Behind one of these is a Peepul Tree called Moksha Peepul. Traditionally, visitors offer water to the Pitrus by offering it to this tree. On the way to this Tree is a small temple of Parshurama, where he is shown worshipping the feet of his mother Renuka.
A lot of people come here in the month of Kartika to do Tarpna for their mothers or maternal lineage.
Gyan Vapika, Alpa Sarovar, and Bindu Sarovar are the three sarovars or ponds at Siddhpur, all of them located at Kapil Muni Ashram. I could see water in only one of them and another was dry at the back of the temples.
History of Siddhpur
Siddhpur is situated on the banks of Vaidik Saraswati, making it a sacred Tirtha. The Puranic stories link it to Kapil Muni, Kardam Rishi, Devahiti, and Parashuram.
In the 4-5th CE migrants from Iran settled around this area.
In later history, it was the capital of the Capital of Chalukya dynasty that ruled from there. Established as the capital by Jayasimha Siddharaja, the town derives its name from him.
Mohammed Ghori attacked Siddhpur in 12th CE, his armies killing more than 30,000 people. This meant the decline of the Solanki empire in the Patan region of Gujarat.
Rudra Mahalaya
Also known as Rudramal, this was a temple complex with temples dedicated to Rudra Swaroop of Shiva. It was an 11-story tall structure once. It was first built in the 10th CE by King Mularaja of the Chalukya or Solanki dynasty. Later Jayasimha Siddharaja enhanced it in 12th CE and attacked by Mohammed Ghori soon after.
I remember reading about it in the book Somnath by Acharya Chatursen. This was the temple that was destroyed by invading armies of Allaudin Khilji in late 13th CE, on their way to Somnath.
Today you have to walk through the narrow lanes to reach the ruins of Rudra Mahalaya. It is under a legal dispute, so you can not enter the complex and just get a glimpse of it from the locked gate.
Even from a distance, I sew the Toran whose replica I had just seen at the Sristhal museum.
As per the Gujarat Tourism website – The temple was an architectural wonder with a three-storeyed ‘shikhara’, 1600 pillars, 12 entrance doors, a central ‘mandapa’ and porches on the east, north, and south, and a sanctum in the west. Around the temple, there were 11 shrines of Rudra. The eastern gate was adorned with beautifully carved ‘Toran’, with a flight of steps leading to the Saraswati River. The ornamentation of the temple was exuberant as shown by the elaborate and detailed carvings of the pillars and the beautiful Toran, which are the only remains of the temple today.
5 Swayambhu Temples
I gather that there were five Swayambhu Shiva temples in Siddhpur. I could gather information on only two – Siddheshwar Mahadev and Vateshwar. Looking for more information on the other three. If you know, please share.
Festivals
Just like Pushkar, a camel fair takes place here as well. On the same dates i.e. Kartik Shukla Ekadashi to Kartik Purnima. This would fall 11-15 days after Diwali. It is an annual cattle and trade fair, which happens in many parts of the country.
This is the same time when people also come to perform Tarpana for their mothers.
Vohrawads – Dawoodi Bohra Houses of Siddhpur
These days Siddhpur is more popular for 19th CE houses with colonial facades. The trading community of Dawoodi Bohra Muslims built these. The Gujarat tourism brochure mentions them as Vohras – a surname I have often heard in Punjab.
You can see, these fading and mostly uninhabited houses spread across eighteen mohallas or neighborhoods. Most of them have stone plinths, ornate wooden doors and windows, and stained glass which was in fashion then. I assume they have exquisite interiors. But I am not sure if any of them are open to seeing.
Apparently, there is one house with 360 doors and windows. Do they represent days in a solar month or am I overthinking? These lanes reminded me of Shekhawati Havelis in Rajasthan.
Travel Tips
Siddhpur is about 110 km from Ahmedabad. You can easily do it as a day trip. It is also the closest airport.
Siddhpur is on the Delhi-Ahmedabad Rail line well connected by train and road.
You need a day to see it properly. More time if you want to perform any rituals.
You can see Modhera Sun Temple, Rani Ki Vav stepwell, Sahastralinga Talav, and Bhuchara Mata Temple along with this destination.
