Nagda is a small town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. In the 6th century, Nagda was found by Nagaditya, the fourth Mewar King. Initially it was known as Nagahrida and served as the capital of Mewar. Nagda is located besides Bagela Lake at a distance of 23 km in the north-west of Udaipur on the way to Nathdwara.

The Sahasra Bahu temples or Sasbahu Temples are a pair of late 10th century Hindu temples dedicated to Vishnu. They share a platform, facing the temple tank, and are similar in style, but one is rather larger than the other. The larger one is surrounded by ten subsidiary shrines, the smaller by four; only the bases remain of some of these. The temples have many of the characteristics of slightly later Māru-Gurjara architecture but lack others, especially in the plan and exterior sculpture.

They are locally referred to as Sas Bahu temples meaning “mother-in-law” and “daughter-in-law” respectively, and are names given by locals to the two temples. However, it’s probably just a local corruption of the original Sahasra-Bahu, meaning “One with thousand arms”, a form of Vishnu).

Both temples have a sanctuary, mandapa with side projections, and an open porch. Their somewhat ruined shikharas are in brick, with many subsidiary turrets. That of the smaller temple has been largely repaired, while the larger one remains truncated. Below the platform there is a torana-style entrance screen, with four columns and a decorative cusped arch in the centre. The temple is accredited for having wonderful carvings.

Map: Nagda
Map: Nagda