Jain Temples of Ranakpur
One of the five most important pilgrimage centers of the Jain faith, the Jain temples of Ranakpur are incomparable structures of the best of architectural sensations of an India Tour. The Indian tour operators offer you deluxe tour packages which include a visit to.
The Ranakpur temples that are revered by the Jain community all over the world. One of the greatest rulers of the ancient times in Rajasthan, Rana Khamba donated a large section of land to Dana Shah who realized his dreams of building an outstanding temple in the Jain temple complex in Ranakpur, Rajasthan. The Jain temples, visited by thousands of foreign and Indian tourists from across the globe are set in an attractive valley, west of the great Aravalli mountain range, approximately 90 kms from the royal city of Udaipur.
The most striking amongst all the temples of the complex is the Chaumukh Temple, dedicated to the first Jain seer, Adinath. Erect on a 48000 sq feet pedestal, the temple has four facades one on another. The initiator of the temple, Dana Shah made it to look like a divine airplane, exactly what he had earlier dreamt of. The temple possesses four subsidiary shrines, 24 pillared halls, 80 domes standing on the base of nearly 400 columns. All the columns are ornately carved and the most fascinating feature is that you won’t find any two identical columns. Even more intriguing is the fact that all columns change colour from golden to pastel blue as the sun begins to set.
The edifice of this enormous temple is extremely intricate with four separate entrances that lead into the chambers which are further connected to the main hall which comprises of an image of Adinath surrounded by numerous smaller shrines and domes. This circle of structures around the image is further enclosed by a range of cubicles with individual crowns. The magnificence and complexity is the reason that the temple compound took nearly 65 years to reach its present existence. Light colored marble has been used for the construction of this grand temple which occupies an area of approximately 60 x 62 meters. The temple is distinctive with high domes and turrets mounting regally upon a hillside. Approximately 1444 marble pillars are carved in exquisite specification that supports the main structure. It is believed that it is impossible to count and come to an exact number of the pillars of this splendid temple.
The wonderful statues inside the temple stand face to face. A huge and striking megalith stands robust inside the temple that consists of 108 snake heads and tails. One cannot find the end of the tails which face all four directions. This structure mainly symbolizes the conquest of Adinath of the four directions and ultimately the universe. The two other important temples around this temple are dedicated to Parsavanath and Surya God. The Parsavanath temple is also known as the â Pariyonkamandirâ, known for its elaborate windows decorated with Jain figurines and sculptures representing maidens. The Suraya Narayan temple or the Sun God temple has a superb idol of Sun God in which he is shown riding a chariot drawn by seven horses.