Hatkeshwar Mahadev Temple

From Nadiol Darwaja, walk a few steps westwards and to your left is Hatkeshwar temple.

This is Hatkeshwar Mahadev temple, one of the most revered shrines in Vadnagar. It was built in the 17th century, by an influential local community called Nagar Brahmins whose roots are closely tied to Vadnagar. This temple is the home of their Kul Devta, their patron deity.

Ancient texts link the Nagars to the very origins of Vadnagar. A section known as the Nagar Khand in the Skanda Puran tells a fascinating story.

Once upon a time, a king named King Chamatkar came hunting in the forests around here. During the hunt, he accidentally killed a female deer that was nursing its young. That cruel act brought a terrible curse upon him. He developed leprosy. The poor king wandered around in despair, looking for a cure. In time, he reached a place where a community called the Nagars lived. They used their knowledge of medicine and herbs to treat him, and asked him to bathe in the sacred waters of the Sharmistha Lake, then known as Shank Tirth.

Miraculously, the king recovered. The grateful king offered the Nagars much wealth, but the Nagars refused. How could they accept money for an act of compassion? So the king built a town for them to live in safely. He named it Chamatkarpur or the city of miracles. Chamatkarpur is the old name of Vadnagar.

As the community prospered, they built this temple to their patron god, Shiva. Here, he is called Hatkeshwar Mahadev. The main shrine houses a sacred stone lingam that is believed to be a natural formation. Local tradition says the lingam extends deep underground, and that its unseen base is made of gold. The name of the temple reflects this belief: Hatak means gold, and Ishwar means Lord: Hatkeshwar, the Golden Lord.

Architecturally, this temple is an interesting mishmash of styles. The main tower is built in the classic North Indian Nagara style. You can see the tower covered with layers of sculptures. Look closely and you’ll notice garland-like carvings along the tower, a motif that the Solanki kings of Gujarat liked to use. But the temple also shows later influences. The surrounding pavilions are topped by three domes. That’s typical of the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, and creates an unusual but beautiful architectural contrast.

The walls of the temple are filled with sculptures showing scenes from the Ramayan and the Mahabharat. There are gods, goddesses, musicians, dancers, and delicate floral motifs. One charming scene shows a dancer so absorbed in her dance that she does not notice a scorpion crawling up her leg. Another shows the divine scribes, Dhata and Vidhata, who are believed to write the destiny of newborn children.

This temple complex also houses many smaller shrines to gods of different sects: Kashi Vishweshwar, Swami Narayan and even Jain deities; a reminder that Vadnagar has always been a town where many faiths lived side by side.