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{{Short description|Hindu temple dedicated to Brahma in Gujarat, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Brahma Temple, Khedbrahma
| image = Brahmaji Temple of Khedbrahma2.jpg
| alt = Exterior of the Brahma Temple at Khedbrahma
| caption = Exterior of the temple
| map_type = India Gujarat
| map_caption = Location in Gujarat
| coordinates = {{coord|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes=
| country = India
| state = [[Gujarat]]
| location = [[Khedbrahma]], [[Sabarkantha district]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = [[Brahma]]
| festivals =
| architecture = [[Maru-Gurjara architecture]]
| temple_quantity = 1
| monument_quantity =
| inscriptions =
| year_completed = {{circa|1060}}
| creator =
| website =
}}

'''Brahma Temple''' or '''Brahmaji Mandir''' is a [[Hindu temple]] dedicated to [[Brahma]] in [[Khedbrahma]], [[Gujarat]], India. It was built in the late 11th century.{{Citation needed|date=April 2026}}

==History==
The temples dedicated to [[Brahma]] are uncommon in India.{{Original research inline|date=April 2026}}<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last=Cousens|first=Henry|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.35542/page/n329/mode/2up|title=Annual Report of The Archaeological Survey of India 1906-07|publisher=Superintendent Government Printing, India|year=1909|location=Calcutta|pages=171–178|chapter=The Temple of Brahma at Khed-Brahma}}</ref><ref name=":GVK">{{Cite book|last=Rajgor|first=Shivprasad|title=ગુજરાતી વિશ્વકોશ|publisher=Gujarati Vishwakosh Trust, Ahmedabad|year=1993|editor-last=Thaker|editor-first=Dhirubhai|editor-link=Dhirubhai Thaker|volume=V|location=[[Ahmedabad]]|pages=846|language=gu|trans-title=Gujarati Encyclopedia|oclc=164915270}}</ref> According to [[Madhusudan Dhaky|M. A. Dhaky]], it was built in third quarter of the 11th century during the reign of [[Chalukya dynasty|Chaulukya]] king [[Karna (Chaulukya dynasty)|Karna]].<ref name="Dhaky1961">{{cite journal|last=Dhaky|first=Madhusudan A.|author-link=Madhusudan Dhaky|year=1961|editor-last=Deva|editor-first=Krishna|title=The Chronology of the Solanki Temples of Gujarat|url=http://vmis.in/Resources/digital_publication_popup?id=136#page/30|journal=Journal of the Madhya Pradesh Itihas Parishad|location=[[Bhopal]]|publisher=Madhya Pradesh Itihas Parishad|volume=3|pages=34, 76–77}}</ref><ref name="x">{{cite book|author=M. A.|first=Dhaky|url=https://indianculture.gov.in/rarebooks/studies-indian-temple-architecture-papers-presented-seminar-held-varanasi-1967|title=Studies in Indian Temple Architecture: Papers Presented at a Seminar Held in Varanasi, 1967|publisher=American Institute of Indian Studies|year=1975|editor-last=Chandra|editor-first=Pramod|location=Bombay|pages=128|chapter=The Genesis and Development of Maru-Gurjara Temple Architecture}}</ref>

==Architecture==
[[File:8th-century Brahma temple, Khedbrahma Group of Temples, Gujarat.jpg|thumb|Plan of the temple|left]]
The east facing Brahma temple is situated in the middle of the village.<ref name="Sompura1968">{{cite book|last=Sompura|first=Kantilal F.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dXTqAAAAMAAJ|title=The Structural Temples of Gujarat, Upto 1600 A.D.|publisher=Gujarat University|year=1968|pages=172–173, 286|isbn=9780861862450 }}</ref><ref name=":2" />

The spire, ''mandapa'' (dome) and doorway must have been destroyed and rebuilt later in bricks and mortar.<ref name=":1" /> It is built of white sandstone and cement-covered bricks. It is 57 feet long, 30 feet broad, and 36 feet high.<ref name="ggbc">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Lr4IAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA437|title=Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Cutch, Pálanpur, and Mahi Kántha|publisher=Government Central Press|year=1880|pages=438}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> The sanctum is 32 feet wide which is ''navaratha'' in ''anga'' and ''hastangula'' in plan and is of fully decorated class. Its ''pitha'' (base), the ''vedibandha'' and the ''mandovara'' (middle part of the wall) is resemble to the temple at Sunak.<ref name="Dhaky1961" /> The lower part of main shrine is intact and is filled with images of gods, goddesses and [[apsara]]s.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> These images in ''jangha'' portion are poorly retouched. The chauri-bearers on ''nandika'' are elegantly carved which are common in 11th century temples. The ''phansana'' roof resembles [[Dilwara Jain Temples|Vimala Vasahi temple]] and is crowned with a ''ghanta''.<ref name="Dhaky1961" /> There are images of Brahma in the niches on the three sides.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> The modern ''[[mandapa]]'' hall has four pillars reused from the original ''mandapa''. They are octagonal and has carvings of bells and chains with band of ''[[kirtimukha]]'' faces on the top. The doorway can be original or the modern one. It has floral patterns and minor sculptures. The dedicatory block in the centre has [[Ganesha]].<ref name=":2" />

The interior has no ornamental carvings. The image of three-faced and four-armed standing Brahma is {{convert|1.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}} high. There are goose on either sides of the image. The image seems later installation or the older image plaster with cement to merge broken parts.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Inamdar|first=P A|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281941|title=Some Archaeological Finds In The Idar State|publisher=Department of Archaeology, Idar State|year=1936|location=Idar|pages=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281941/page/n19 12]–17}}</ref><ref name=":2" />

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Brahmaji Temple of Khedbrahma8.jpg|Idol of Brahma and his two consorts [[Gayatri]] and [[Savitri (godess)|Savitri]]
File:Brahmaji Temple at Khedbrahma.jpg|Entrance
File:Brahmaji Temple of Khedbrahma12.jpg|Exterior
File:Brahmaji Temple in Khedbrahma.jpg|''Mandapa'' of the temple
</gallery>

== See also ==

* [[Brahma Vav]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Hindu temples in Gujarat}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brahma Temple, Khedbrahma}}
[[Category:11th-century Hindu temples]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Khedbrahma]]
[[Category:Brahma temples]]
[[Category:Sabarkantha district]]
[[Category:Māru-Gurjara architecture]]

Brahma Temple, Khedbrahma - Revision history

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