Kaleshwari Group of Monuments, Lavana – History

Kaleshwari Group of Monuments, Lavana – History

Lavana was an ancient settlement called as Lavaneshwari in ancient times. The temples and ruins in the Kaleshwari group of monuments are traditional associated with the characters of Mahabharata. The original Shiva temple with its sanctum & sabha mandapa was built in the 10^th century CE. The temple fell into ruins later. The Kund (reservoir) was constructed in the 11^th  or 12^th century CE.

The twin stepwells were built in the 14^th to 15^th century CE. This was followed by the construction of Bhim Chauri in the 14^th to 15^th century CE, Arjun Chauri and Hidimba temple was built in the 15^th to 16^th century CE on the nearby hillock. All these temples are in ruins now. It is said that Mala Rana, the prince of Lunavada State, restored the Kaleshwari temple in 1549 but the inscription is worn out.

The original Shiva temple was rebuilt in reduced size and is now known as Ghummatwalu Mandir. The Shikar Madhi was built by Vakhat Singh from ruins of ancient structures in the first half of the 18^th century. The ruins were restored in the 2000s by the State Archeology Department of Gujarat and are promoted as a tourism spot.