This Temple in India is Known as Saas-Bahu Temple?!?

India is home to many temples dedicated to both gods and their deities. Amidst all the small and big temples in India, there is a temple known by the name Saas-Bahu temple. Sounds interesting huh? As in India, it’s rare to find a healthy relationship between saas and bahu. Are you curious about the background of this temple? How did it get this unusual name? If yes, then read on.

Well, the Saas-Bahu temple is located in Nagda village, approximately 20 km from Udaipur city in Rajasthan. The temple is appealing enough to astonish passers-by.

This was build by a king for his wife and daughter-in-law.

According to historical records, this is not a temple dedicated to the mother-in-law(saas) and wife(daughter-in-law). Instead, this was built somewhere in the 10th or 11th century A.D. by the Kachchhwaha Dynasty’s King Mahipala.

It is believed that the wife of Mahipala(Queen of Kachchhwaha) was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. For his beloved wife to worship her beloved deity, the king was gracious enough to build a temple. When the prince married a woman, who worshiped Lord Shiva, another temple precisely next to the Vishnu shrine, a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva was constructed for the daughter-in-law. The temple structure is proof of the sacred nature of family bonds during ancient times.

From ‘Sahastrabahu’ to ‘Saas Bahu’

Initially, the temple was called Sahastrabahu Temple, Sahastrabahu meaning ‘the one having a thousand arms’, a synonym for Lord Vishnu. Because of the origin of the temple, the name became twisted over time, and the temple became popular as Saas-Bahu Temple

The architecture of Sahastrabahu Temple

The Sahastra Bahu Temple is a group of five to ten tiny temples dedicated to various Gods and Goddesses. The mother-in-law’s shrine has an archway in the front area where the Lord Vishnu icon was placed during important occasions. There are three doors on it, each facing in three directions.

Goddess Saraswati, Lord Bramha, and Lord Vishnu’s idols can be seen on the entryway. The temple’s stunning architecture and beautiful carvings will definitely leave an impression on you.

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