Sun Temple, Hindu temple dedicated to Surya in Modhera, Gujarat, India.
The Sun Temple features intricate stone carvings depicting solar deities, mythological scenes, and celestial figures across its sanctuary, assembly hall, and stepped reservoir known as Surya Kund.
Constructed around 1026-27 CE during the reign of Bhima I of the Chaulukya dynasty, the temple commemorates the defense against invasions and showcases the architectural prowess of medieval Gujarat.
The temple hosts the annual Uttarardha Mahotsav dance festival where classical Indian dance forms are performed among the ancient carvings, celebrating traditional performing arts within this historic setting.
The temple is open daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM and can be reached by road from Ahmedabad, which is approximately 95 kilometers away, with the nearest railway station at Mehsana Junction.
On the summer solstice at noon the sun stands directly overhead and the temple casts no shadow; at the equinoxes the first rays of the rising sun fall on the image of Surya in the sanctum. The shrine sits at about 23.6° latitude, close to the Tropic of Cancer.
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