Located just across the street from the General Post Office, is the Surya Narayan temple dedicated the Sun God. Built more than 200 years ago, the temple was commissioned by the then Diwan, Raoji Appaji Fanse in the reign of Govindrao Gaekwad. Enveloped in lush gardens and tall trees, the temple, and the garden stand on a higher ground than the road. This gives the temple an air of seclusion from the surrounding busy roads.
An enormous stone elephant greets the visitors as they reach the raised grounds of the temple. The temple is built much like the other temples of Baroda. The main structure of the temple stands on a raised stone platform. It features a huge, domed sabha mandap preceding the garbha griha, topped with a Shikhara.
Every year on the occasion of Rath Saptami, the temple organizes a “havan”. On this day the whole temple is bedecked in lights and garlands and colorful rangolis. The temple is swarmed by the people of the city on this day to seek the Sun god’s blessing.
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