Harshat Mata Temple
The Harshat Mata Temple (IAST: Harṣat Mātā kā Mandir) is a Hindu temple in the Abhaneri (or "Abaneri") village of Rajasthan, in north-western India. The temple is dedicated to a goddess named Harshat Mata, although some art historians theorize that it was originally a Vaishnavite shrine.
| Harshat Mata ki Mandir | |
|---|---|
Front facade of the temple ruin | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Dausa |
| Deity | Lakshmi |
| Location | |
| Location | Abhaneri |
| State | Rajasthan |
| Country | India |
Shown within Rajasthan | |
| Geographic coordinates | 27°00′27″N 76°36′19″E |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Gurjara-Pratihara |
The original temple appears to have been built in the panchayatana style, which features a main shrine surrounded by four subsidiary shrines. Only parts of the main shrine now survive and they have been ruined and modified over several centuries, with the tall shikhara tower replaced by a roof-dome. Much of the platform survives, with fragments of carved stones from the original structure, but most of the sculptures have been removed to the museums in Amber and Jaipur.
No epigraphic evidence survives regarding the temple's construction. The analysis of its architectural and sculptural style suggests it was built in the early 9th century, shortly after the construction of the adjoining Chand Baori stepwell. The temple's original builder is unknown, but historians theorize that it may have been built by a Gurjara-Pratihara king, possibly in association with a local Chahamana vassal. The temple is now protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, but remains in religious use.