Harshat Mata or Goddess of happiness is said to have spread happiness in the area leading to the city being called Abhaneri or city of brightness.
Raja Chanda who built the Chand Baori is credited with building this temple and dedicating the baori and temple to the Goddess.
The temple is east facing and we visited at around 4pm so got the full glare of the sun from the opposite side.
The steps have the traditional half moon design
It sits on a raised double terrace platform.
The temple has a sanctum and pillared Mandapa (external hall) crowned by a domed ceiling.
There are beautiful deities and sculptures carved into the niches on the upper terrace.
The niches on the buttresses have exquisite carvings too
The priest Sharmaji was cery cordial. He told me the story of Harshat Mata.
He saw me clicking so many photos and offered me Mata ki chunri and told me to wear it and do namaste and he would click my snap. I felt blessed as I love to pray to God . For me HE is everywhere and in everything.
My Rab is truly Rab ul Alaameen or Lord of the Universe.
Pandit Ji said this temple was destroyed by Mahmud Ghazni and later rebuilt. It’s given on the official site of temple too.
From the sculptures and stone lying all over it was definitely destroyed and perhaps looted but to me it seems by someone else. This didn’t fall in Mahmud Ghazni’s path from what I can read.
But I maybe wrong so willing to be corrected.
It’s in a small village next to the famous stepwells Chand Baori said to be dedicated to the Goddess
The village is small but as many tourists come here it has shops selling cold drinks , water and snacks.
http://ranasafvi.com/chand-baori-in-abhaneri-or-city-of-brightness/
Gallery
carving on pillars
