Hindu Temples: What Happened to Them v2.c19.s2.6

v2.c19.s2.6

ANahillapaTTaNa, now known as Patan, was built in AD 745 by Vanaraja, the founder of the ChavoTkaTa or Chapa or Chavda dynasty. It reached its greatest glory, however, in the reign of JayasiMha (AD 1094-1143), the most illustrious ruler of the Chaulukya or Solañki dynasty of Gujarat. Jayasimha was very much devoted to sristhala and visited it often in order to keep the company of sages and saints living at this place. There is a popular legend that JayasiMha defeated and captured Barbara, a demon who was molesting the holy men at sristhala. Barbara, we are told, became his obedient servant and performed many superhuman deeds for him. That is how JayasiMha earned the sobriquet of Siddharaja. He built at sristhala a temple dedicated to Rudra Mahakala which became known as Rudramahalaya or simply Rudramala. Because of its close association with Siddharaja, sristhala became known as Siddhapura which name was corrupted to Sidhpur in course of time.