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Gujarat

Modhera (Sun Temple)

Solanki sun temple over a stepped kund of 108 shrines

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Best time to visit Modhera (Sun Temple)

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: November to February
  • Shoulder: March and September to October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: April to June

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryNovemberDecember

Modhera (Sun Temple) season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Dec-Feb is when low sun rakes the carvings, and the January dance festival puts classical dance on the kund steps.

Summer March to May Shoulder

Apr-Jun runs 42-44 °C on open sandstone with no shade anywhere in the compound; come at 7 am or not at all.

Monsoon June to September Shoulder

Jul-Aug fills the Surya Kund and empties the site, but north Gujarat rain arrives in short violent bursts.

Autumn October to November Prime time

Oct-Nov is clear and mild with the best light of the year, and Patan's stepwell is 30 km further north.

What Modhera (Sun Temple) is actually like

A half-day stop shared with school groups and photographers; sleep in Mehsana or Ahmedabad, not here

Things to do in Modhera

The local places worth your time in and around Modhera, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Modheshwari Mata Temple

    Temple · 1 km out

    The village's own goddess temple and origin shrine of the Modh community; ten minutes from the sun temple gate, free

  • Bahucharaji Temple

    Temple · 25 km out

    One of Gujarat's three great Shakti temples, pilgrims arriving through the day; budget half a day from Modhera with the queue

  • Simandhar Swami Jain Temple

    Temple · 25 km out

    Large modern Jain temple at Mehsana on the road back to the highway; shoes and leather off at the gate, half an hour is enough

Getting to Modhera (Sun Temple)

Mehsana railhead 25 km or Ahmedabad 100 km, then frequent ST buses to Modhera village

Practical ways in: flighttrainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
1 day
Budget
Shoestring
How busy
Steady at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
56 m
State
Gujarat
Coordinates
23.5838, 72.1327

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Modhera (Sun Temple)?

November to February is peak season in Modhera (Sun Temple). March and September to October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to June. Oct-Nov is clear and mild with the best light of the year, and Patan's stepwell is 30 km further north.

How many days do you need in Modhera (Sun Temple)?

1 day is the usual stay. A half-day stop shared with school groups and photographers; sleep in Mehsana or Ahmedabad, not here.

How do you get to Modhera (Sun Temple)?

Mehsana railhead 25 km or Ahmedabad 100 km, then frequent ST buses to Modhera village. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.

Is Modhera (Sun Temple) expensive, and does it get crowded?

Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

Is there a festival in Modhera (Sun Temple)?

Jan: Uttarardh Mahotsav classical dance festival. Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.

What are the best things to do in Modhera?

Modheshwari Mata Temple, Bahucharaji Temple and Simandhar Swami Jain Temple. The village's own goddess temple and origin shrine of the Modh community; ten minutes from the sun temple gate, free.

Nearby, and where to go next

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