The Gondeshwar Temple is an 11th-12th century Hindu temple located in Sinnar, a town in the Nashik district of Maharashtra. It features a panchayatana plan; with a main shrine dedicated to Shiva; and four subsidiary shrines dedicated to Surya, Vishnu, Parvati, and Ganesha.
was built during the rule of the Seuna (Yadava) dynasty, and is variously dated to either the 11th or the 12th century. Sinnar was a stronghold of the dynasty during their pre-imperial period, and modern historians identify it with Seunapura, a town established by the Yadava king Seuanchandra.
The Gondeshwar temple is built in the Bhumija style, in form of a panchayatana complex, which features a main shrine surrounded by four subsidiary shrines. The temple is situated on a rectangular platform that measures 125 x 95 feet. The plan of the temple is very similar to that of the Ambarnath Shiva temple, but the sculptures on its exterior walls are of inferior quality than those of the Ambarnath temple. The temple complex was originally surrounded by a wall, which is now mostly destroyed.
The main shrine is dedicated to Shiva, and contains a large linga. The shrine and the Nandi pavilion facing it are located on an elevated plinth. The mandapa (pavilion), which has porches on three sides, acts as the entrance to the temple. The shrine has a Nagara-style shikhara (tower), whose finial is no longer preserved. The walls of the temple depict scenes from the ancient epic Ramayana.
The subsidiary shrines are dedicated to Surya, Vishnu, Parvati, and Ganesha: all of them have a porch. They are rectangular in plan, and include a mandapa, an antarala (vestibule), and the garbhagriha (sanctum).
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