English: *Kanoda is a historic village on the banks of Rupen river, about 14 kilometers east-northeast of Modhera and 7 kilometers southwest of Dhinoj. It has a historic manmade lake, to the southwest of which is the Bahusmarna temple (also called Bahusmarna Devasthan). This was a part of major town or city before the 13th-century as evidenced by the ruins of many exquisitely carved Hindu and Jain temples, steps wells and other monuments between Modhera and Dhinoj.

• When rediscovered by British and Indian archaeologists in the 19th-century, the Bahusmarna temple was mostly destroyed, except for the remains of its standing mandapa and parts of the foundations of the sanctum as shown above.

• The temple has been reconstructed, though the local community has made efforts to keep the original structure to the extent possible and reuse the ruins at or near the original plan. Thus, the contemporary Bahusmarna temple is a fusion of a modern temple and the original temple.

• It is notable for its beautiful carvings at all three entrances into the temple mukha-mandapa, the vedi and the pillars. It has a dome architecture above the mandapa, with lotus carving in the ceiling and brackets with intricately carved dancers and musicians.

• Since the sanctum was destroyed and gone (leaving behind only parts of the foundation), it is unclear to whom this major temple was dedicated. Based on the artwork, it would be either Somesvara (Shiva) or a Devi (Shakti). When the ruins were sorted and reclaimed, a fragment of Devi (Hindu goddess) was found in the ruins, who is now the presiding deity of this living temple – Bahusmarna (Bormarana).

• The original archival photo is now at the British Library, as item Photo 1000/18(1885).

• This is a photograph of the original 2D artwork published in 1885 and is in public domain. Given its age, PD-Art guidelines of wikimedia commons apply. Any rights I have as a photographer is herewith donated to the public domain through wikimedia commons.