Modhera is a small village in Gujarat's Mehsana district, about 99 km from Ahmedabad, famous almost entirely for one extraordinary monument: the Sun Temple. Built in 1026 AD by the Solanki king Bhimdev I, it is one of the finest examples of medieval Indian temple architecture, with walls covered in extraordinary carved sculptures of gods, goddesses, and scenes from everyday life.
In front of the temple, the Surya Kund is a vast stepped tank surrounded by over a hundred small shrine niches. The reflection of the temple in its still water on a morning visit is one of Gujarat's most memorable sights. The complex also includes the Modhera Vav, a carved stepwell typical of the Solanki tradition, and a short walk away, the Modheshwari Mata Temple, an active shrine that has been serving the local Modh Brahmin community for centuries.
Modhera makes an excellent day trip from Ahmedabad, ideally combined with Patan — home to the spectacular Rani ki Vav stepwell — and Siddhpur, all on the same route north.