MANDOR FORT

The old names of Mandore, the ancient capital of Marwar, were Maddodara, Mandowar and Mandavyapura-durga, believed to be derived from the rishi Mandavya. This town was in existence in the fourth century A.D. as revealed by early Gupta period inscriptions near the cave of Mahadarao. Local traditions hold that Mandore was first held by the Nagas, followed by the Pratiharas, the Chahamanas and the Muslim Sultans of Delhi from whom it was wrested by the Rathores. The excavations carried out in 1909-10 yielded two elaborately carved monoliths of Krishna-lila scenes. On stylistic grounds, these monoliths could be dated to early fifth century A.D. The Pratihara rulers of Mandore constructed excellent Brahmanical and Jaina temples. The Pratihara ruler Rajilla built the rampart of the fort in about the sixth century A.D. The Brahmanical temple discovered in excavations consists of sanctum perched on the summit of three high terraces which diminish in size towards the top and are ascended by flights of steps on east, north and south sides. The sanctum is datable to  the seventh or eighth century A.D. and was restored in the ninth and tenth century A.D. and again in the twelfth century A.D. This temple was originally consecrated to Vishnu. The Ghatiyala inscription of A.D. 861 reveals that the Pratihara ruler Kakkuka  constructed here a Jaina temple also.