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PLACES
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METHI
Methi is Primarily an agricultural village in Sindkheda taluka lying 48.28 km. (30 miles) west of Dhulia on Dhulia-Shahada road. In 1961 it had 2,405 inhabitants. There is only one primary school and a
bal sangopan kendra looked after by a nurse who also renders medical aid to the villagers.
The village is known for a group of temples situated close by the grampanchayat office, said to have been built during the times of the Yadava kings. Other temples in the district that are said to have been built during the Yadava period are located at Balsane, Dhabadev, Vikhran, Bahal and Patan. A stone inscription traced at Methi states that Yadava kings had made land-grants for the maintenance of these temples. Of this group the ones dedicated to Balaji and Bhavani are the most important and hence deserve some attention. The former is an old hemadpanti temple with three
pinnacles and 20 pillars. It stands on a broad raised platform with a frontal entrance approached by a flight or stone-stairs. It has a spacious mandap-hall and a much smaller vestibule joined together by a small passage of 1.828
X 1.219 metres (6 feet X 4 feet) dimensions. The entrance leading from this passage into the vestibule has its lintel and jambs richly ornamented with delicate and beautiful architectural work. In the canopy in the centre of the vestibule was previously a 1.219 metres high idol of Balaji. Its place has now been taken by those of Pandurang and Rukmini, the original idol lying outside the temple with one of its hands broken. Outside the temple premises a dome-like structure standing on four pillars houses the vahan or carrier of the god. Though the idol of Balaji has been removed, the temple is still known as Balaji temple.
Of the Bhavani temple only the 2.438 X 2.438 metres (8 feet X 8 feet) vestibule and the porch remain, the 6.096 X 6.096 metres (20 feet X 20 feet) mandap
having collapsed before long. Even the vestibule is in a bad state of repair.
However, the fragments lying scattered around give an idea of the sculptural
accomplishments of the temple. Excellently carved human figurines in different poses decorate the jambs of the vestibules. On either side of the porch there are niches containing shapely female figures. The idol of Bhavani standing on a stone pedestal occupies the central position in the vestibule. It is proportionately shaped and moulded.
Besides the above noted temples, the village also contains an old gadhi and a temple dedicated to Mahadev. The gadhi is located almost in the heart of the village and is known as Gosayachi gadhi. Situated on the banks of a rivulet on the outskirts of the village, the temple of Mahadev lies amidst ruins. It consists, like the above noted temples, of a mandap, with a dome at the centre supported on four massive pillars, a gabhara or vestibule and the joining passage. Though the ceiling of the mandap has collapsed the supporting pillars, with some noteworthy carvings still remain. The inner shrine contains a ling of Mahadev. Old age has withered away its spire.
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