Chambers, where the royal families came to rest in summer, the water from the well skimming some of the heat from the breezes, the whole acting as a natural airconditioning There is talk now of excavating the surrounding areas, because there must have been palaces and other royal residences in the vicinity, which used the stepwell as a water source of aircooling system. Sahasra Linga talao, a large lake surrounded by beautiful temples, but these shrines are no longer in good condition, and this form of architecture can be better appreciated at the Musar tank in Viramgam, an hour away from Modhera, where another string of temples was erected by the same family. Hindu temples like the 12th century Maheshwara mandir, Kali mandir and Panchmukhi Hanumana mandir and the Jain temples like Doshiwar mandir and those in Kapur Mehtano pol follow the Solanki architectural tradition. The location of Patan on the banks of river Saraswati, one of the 3 holy rivers of India alongside the Ganga and the Yamuna, and its tributary the Chandrabhaga, has contributed considerably to its religious importance, and this explains the number of temples in this region, besides the fact that it was a major centre for learning and business in medieval times.