2.7. Temples at Bhetali

The village Bhetali is situated at the foot of a hill on the road leading to Shamalaji. It has a siva Pancayatana temple in a well preserved condition. It consists of a central shrine, with its attendant shrines at the four corners. The whole temple complex is placed on nearly 3 meters high platform ( Jagati) the back portion of which attached with the foot of a hill. The corners shrines are not much ornate. The shrines on S. E., N. E.; N. W. & S. W. corners are dedicated to Skanda, Ganesa, Parvati and Surya respectively. The images of Ganesa and Parvati are in situ, but the rest are lost. There is an inscription dated V. S. 1507 ( A. D. 1451) on the pedestal of the image of Parvati. 38/1 So the temple complex may, safely, be ascribed c. 15 th cent. A. D. 38 H. A p. 137. * nearly 6-5 km. from Bhiloda (Dist. Sabarkantha) 38/1. Idar State p. 22.

Structural Temples after the end of the Caulukyan Period 215 The main shrine, dedicated to Siva, consists of a garbhagriha, an antarala, and mandapa with its frontal porch (coki). The superstructures over the mandapa and porch are of later date. While the curvilinear superstructure of the garbhagriha seems to be the original one. The sculptures of Gods & Goddesses, regent deities, damsels in various gestures on the pitha and mandovara are beautiful. The Vedika design of the Sabhamandapa be speaks its age i.e., c. 15 th A. D. In A. D. 1453, Sanaraja, son of Sajjanasimha, built a temple of Vimalanatha on Girnar.39 The existence of this temple is corroborated by an inscription dated V. S. 1523 (A. D. 1467). as referred by Vijayadharma Surio but nothing is informed about its situation. The temple seems extinct. ' 0 $ The tradition accounts that the temple known as Laxami Tilaka was built at Girnar by Narapala Samghavi in V. S. 1511 (A. D. 1455 ) 41. The temple is untraced due to frequent renovation of temples by Jains.