Ranakpur Jain Temple

Ranakpur, a small town in the interiors of Rajasthan is home to an exceptionally beautiful temple complex. Nestled in the Aravalli ranges this temple is also one of the five most important pilgrimage sites of Jainism. According to history, Dharna Sah, a Jain business man approached Rana Kumbha to ask for land to build this visionary temple. Since the Jains held imporatant positions in Rajput courts, made their money through trading and were influential money lenders to the royal house, it was hardly surprising that the Ranas, in turn, were patrons of the Jains and their quiet religious ways. So the Rana gifted this land to the Jains and this temple was built in the 15th century. The temple was also christened Ranakpur after Rana Kumbha, who generously donated the land.

Description
In the heart of the remote and enchanting valley of the Aravalli mountain range, skirting the rivulet Maghai, in solemn grandeur stands the The Ranakpur Jain Temple also known as the Chaturmukh Jain Temple of Rishabhadev. Three entrances lead to the temple via double storied portals and pillared courts. Halls and courtyards surround the main shrine. The Chaumukha is its principal deity in the main temple and has impressive dimensions. There are four subsidiary shrines, Adinath in the north west, Parshvanath in the north east, Ajitnath in the south-east and Lord Mahavir Swami in the south west, twenty four pillared halls and magnificent domes supported by over four hundred columns, spread over a 48,000 sq. feet area. There are 1,444 columns in all, each of which is intricately carved and no two are alike. The artistically carved nymphs playing the flute in various dance postures at a height of 45 feet are an awe-inspiring sight. Two ginormous bells each weighing a 108 kgs are situated in the assembly hall and on being rung their sounds echo across the entire valley.

The entire temple area is enclosed within a wall. The main 'Chamukha' temple is dedicated to the trithankara Rishabdeoji and a four-faced image is enshrined in the inner sanctum, open on all four sides. A corridor around the shrine has niches for the tirthankara images and each niche has its spire or shikhar. Little bells are festooned atop each shikar and their jingling in the breeze creates celestial music. A small shrine dedicated to Prashvanath faces the main temple. It has a black image of the tirthankara in the inner sanctum. This three-storeyed marble edifice placed on a lofty plinth and enveloped in the solitude of the surrounding forest, is a majestic monument of aesthetic architecture, bathed in celestial bliss.

The three other Jain temples in the same complex, including a temple of the Sun God, are all well worth a visit. One kilometer away from the temple complex is the temple of Amba Mata.

It is said that the construction of the temple, which had begun in 1446 (roughly 600 years ago) took more than fifty years to complete and an estimated ninety-nine lakh rupees were spent on the entire project.

Climate
The weather is usually very hot in summers with the mercury touching 42 degrees C whereas winters are amicable. From July to mid September, it rains in this area and it is very humid out here.

Best time to visit
The best time to visit these temples are from September to March.

Location
Ranakpur is tucked away in a remote valley in the Aravali range. It is situated around 60 km north of Udaipur in Pali district. It is a nice diversion between Jodhpur and Udaipur.The place is well connected through a road network to other places in the region.

How to Reach :
Road : From Udaipur there are four deluxe buses daily. One can also hire a cab from Udaipur.

Rail : The nearest railway station at Udaipur is directly linked by rail with major cities such as Delhi, Jaipur, Ajmer, Chittaurgarh and Udaipur.

Air : The nearest airport is Dabok Airport, Udaipur(110 Kms)

Rajasthan Pilgrimages
Ajmer Sharif	Dilwara Jain Temples	Ranakpur Jain Temple
Karni Mata Temple - Bikaner	Eklingji Temple - Udaipur	Brahma Temple - Pushkar
Jaisalmer Jain Temples

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