The
JainJainism is an ancient dharmic religion from India that prescribes a path of non-violence for all forms of living beings in this world. Its philosophy and practice relies mainly on self-effort in progressing the soul on the spiritual ladder to divine consciousness...
Dilwara temples of
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
are located about 2½ kilometers from
Mount AbuMount Abu is the highest peak in the Aravalli Range of Rajasthan state in western India. It is located in Sirohi district. Mount Abu is 58 km from Palanpur. The mountain forms a distinct rocky plateau 22 km long by 9 km wide. The highest peak on the mountain is Guru Shikhar, at 1722...
,
Rajasthan'sRājasthān is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with Pakistan...
only hill station. These
templeA temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
s built by Chalukya between the 11th and 13th centuries AD are world famous for their stunning use of
marbleMarble is a non foliated metamorphic rock resulting from the metamorphism of limestone, composed mostly of calcite . It is extensively used for sculpture, as a building material, and in many other applications...
. The five legendary marble temples of Dilwara are a sacred pilgrimage place of the Jains. Some consider them to be one of the most beautiful Jain pilgrimage sites in the world. The marble temples have an opulent entranceway, the simplicity in architecture reflecting Jain values like honesty and frugality.
The
JainJainism is an ancient dharmic religion from India that prescribes a path of non-violence for all forms of living beings in this world. Its philosophy and practice relies mainly on self-effort in progressing the soul on the spiritual ladder to divine consciousness...
Dilwara temples of
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
are located about 2½ kilometers from
Mount AbuMount Abu is the highest peak in the Aravalli Range of Rajasthan state in western India. It is located in Sirohi district. Mount Abu is 58 km from Palanpur. The mountain forms a distinct rocky plateau 22 km long by 9 km wide. The highest peak on the mountain is Guru Shikhar, at 1722...
,
Rajasthan'sRājasthān is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with Pakistan...
only hill station. These
templeA temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
s built by Chalukya between the 11th and 13th centuries AD are world famous for their stunning use of
marbleMarble is a non foliated metamorphic rock resulting from the metamorphism of limestone, composed mostly of calcite . It is extensively used for sculpture, as a building material, and in many other applications...
. The five legendary marble temples of Dilwara are a sacred pilgrimage place of the Jains. Some consider them to be one of the most beautiful Jain pilgrimage sites in the world. The marble temples have an opulent entranceway, the simplicity in architecture reflecting Jain values like honesty and frugality. The temples are in the midst of a range of forested hills. A high wall shrouds the temple complex.
Although the Jains built some beautiful temples at other places in Rajasthan, some believe that none come close to these in terms of architectural perfection. The ornamental detail spreading over the minutely carved ceilings, doorways, pillars and panels is simply marvellous.
For the people who come to perform puja here, there are facilities to bathe and get ready. The facilities use passive solar power to heat up the water for bathing and other things. Guided tour hours for tourists are posted outside the temple. You might see occasional monkeys looking for food outside the temple area.
Five Unique Temples of Dilwara
There are 5 temples in all, each with its own unique identity. Each is named after the small village in which it is located. These are:
- Vimal Vasahi (Shri Adi Nathji temple) dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankar
In Jainism, a Tirthankar is a human being who achieves enlightenment through asceticism and who then becomes a role-model teacher for those seeking spiritual guidance...
lord Rishabh.
- Luna Vasahi (Shri Neminath
Neminatha was twenty-second Jain Tirthankar of the present age . According to Jain beliefs, he became a Siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. He is also known as Aristhnemi He along with Rishab or Adinath is mentioned in the Rig Veda Samhita...
ji temple) dedicated to the 22nd Jain Tirthankar lord Neminatha.
- Pithalhar (Shri Rishabha
Rishabha may refer to:* Rishabha , the first Jain tirthankar* Rsabha, a sage mentioned in the Vaishnava texts, incarnation of Visnu, the son of King Nabhi and Merudevi; father of the great king - Bharat...
Devji temple) dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankar lord Rishabh.
- Khartar Vasahi (Shri Parshva
Parshvanath or Parshvanatha was the twenty-third Tirthankara in Jainism. fl. ca. in the 9th Century BCE, traditionally . He is the earliest Jain leader generally accepted as a historical figure...
Nathji temple) dedicated to the 23rd Jain Tirthankar lord ParshvaParshvanath or Parshvanatha was the twenty-third Tirthankara in Jainism. fl. ca. in the 9th Century BCE, traditionally . He is the earliest Jain leader generally accepted as a historical figure...
.
- Mahavir Swami (Shri Mahavir Swamiji temple) dedicated to the last Jain Tirthankar lord Mahavir.
The most famous of these are the Vimal
VasahiBasadi is a Jain shrine or temple.The word is generally used in South India, including Maharashtra. Its historical use in North is preserved in the names of the Vimala Vasahi and Luna Vasahi temples of Mount Abu...
and Luna Vasahi temples.
Vimal Vasahi Temple
This temple carved entirely out of white marble was built in 1021 by Vimal Shah, a minister of Bhimidev I, the Chalukya King (
SolankiThe Solanki are Hindu Rajput clan who ruled parts of western and central India between the 10th and 13th centuries. Solankis are descended from 6th Centuary Badami Chalukya. The name Solanki comes from Chalukya the ancient Indian dynasty. During 543-566, Pulakesi I,established the kingdom at Vatapi...
MaharajaThe word Mahārāja is Sanskrit for "great king" or "high king" . Due to Sanskrit's major influence on the vocabulary of most languages in India and Asia, the term 'maharaja' is common to many modern languages, such as Oriya, Punjabi, Bengali, Hindi, Gujrati, etc...
) of
GujaratGujarat is the westernmost state in India. It is home to the Gujarati speaking people of India. The state encompasses major sites of the Indus Valley Civilization such as Lothal and Dholavira. Gujarat played an important role in the economic history of India throughout the history of India...
. The temple is dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankara (teacher or guide),
AdinathAdinath or Adin atha is a Sanskrit word meaning "First Lord" and can refer to:* Adi Jina, a title of the Lord Rishabha* Adi Nath, a title of the Hindu deity Shiva* Adinath Sampradaya, a sadhu sub-sect of the Nath Sampradaya...
. The temple stands in an open courtyard surrounded by a corridor, which has numerous cells containing smaller idols of the Tirthankaras. The richly carved corridors, pillars, arches, and 'mandaps' or porticoes of the temple are simply amazing. The ceilings feature engraved designs of lotus-buds, petals, flowers and scenes from Jain and Hindu mythology.
The Rang mandap is a grand hall supported by 12 decorated pillars and nicely carved out arches with a breathtaking central dome. On the pillars are carved female figurines playing musical instruments and 16 Vidhyadevis, or the goddesses of knowledge, each one holding her own symbol.
The Navchowki is a collection of nine rectangular ceilings, each one containing beautiful carvings of different designs supported on ornate pillars. The Gudh mandap is a simple hall once you step inside its heavily decorated doorway. Installed here is the idol of Adi Nath or Lord Rishabdev, as he is also known. The mandap is meant for
'Arti'Aarti , also spelled arathi, aarthi is a Hindu ritual, in which light from wicks soaked in ghee or camphor is offered to one or more deities...
to the
deityA deity is a postulated preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
. The Hastishala (Elephant Cell) was constructed by Prithvipal, a descendant of Vimal Shah in 1147-49 and features a row of elephants in sculpture.
Luna Vasahi (Shri Nemi Nathji temple)
The Luna Vashi temple is dedicated to the 22nd Jain Tirthankara Shri Neminathji. This magnificent temple was built in 1230 by two
Porwad·Porvad , also called Porwad, Porwal etc. are an ancient Jain community that originated from southern Rajasthan. In Sanskrit inscriptions it is called Pragvata ....
brothers - Vastupal and Tejpal - both ministers of a Virdhaval, the
VaghelaThe Vaghelas were an Indian dynasty of Gujarat. The Vaghelas were based in the town of Dholka, and were feudatories of the Solanki dynasty, who ruled Gujarat from the 10th to the 13th centuries. The Solanki went into decline in the thirteenth century, and by 1243 the Vaghelas were firmly in control...
ruler of Gujarat. The temple built in memory of their late brother Luna was designed after the Vimal Vashi temple. The main hall or Rang mandap features a central dome from which hangs a big ornamental pendent featuring elaborate carving. Arranged in a circular band are 72 figures of Tirthankars in sitting posture and just below this band are 360 small figures of Jain monks in another circular band. The Hathishala or elephant cell features 10 beautiful marble elephants neatly polished and realistically modelled.
The Navchowki features some of the most magnificent and delicate marble stone cutting work of the temple. Each of the nine ceilings here seems to exceed the others in beauty and grace. The Gudh mandap features a black marble idol of the 22nd Jain Tirthankar Neminatha. The Kirthi Stambha is a big black stone pillar that stands on the left side of the temple. The pillar was constructed by Maharana Kumbha of
MewarMewar is a region of south-central Rajasthan state in western India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand and Udaipur. The region was for centuries a Rajput kingdom that later became a princely state under the British...
. The remaining three temples of Dilwara are smaller but just as elegant as the other two.
Pittalhar Temple
This temple was built by Bhima Shah, a minister of Sultan Begada of
AhmedabadAhmedabad is a city in India, which is the largest city in the state of Gujarat, with a population of approximately 52 lakhs . Located on the banks of the River Sabarmati, the city is the administrative centre of Ahmedabad district and was the capital of Gujarat from 1960 to 1970; the capital...
. A massive metal statue of first Jain Tirthankara Rishabha Dev (Adinath), cast in five metals, is installed in the temple. The main metal used in this statue is 'Pital' (brass), hence the name 'Pittalhar'. The Shrine consists of a main
GarbhagrihaGarbhagriha or Garbha griha is the small unlit shrine of the Hindu temple.Garbhagriha or ' is a Sanskrit word meaning the interior of the sanctum sanctorum, the innermost sanctum of a Hindu temple where resides the murti of primary deity of the temple...
, Gudh mandap and Navchowki. It seems that the construction of Rangmandap and the corridor was left unfinished. The old mutilated idol was replaced and installed in 1468-69 AD weighing 108 maunds (about 40 quintals or four metric tons) according to the inscription on it. The image was cast by an artist 'Deta' which is . high, . broad and the figure is in height. In Gudh Mandap on one side, a big marble Panch-Tirthi sculpture of Adinath is installed.
Parshvanatha Temple
This temple, dedicated to 23rd Jain Tirthankar Lord Parshvanath was built by Mandlik and his family in 1458-59 It consists of a three storied building, the tallest of all the shrines at Dilwara. On all the four faces of the sanctum on the ground floor are four big mandaps. The outer walls of the sanctum comprise of beautiful sculptures in gray sandstone, depicting Dikpals, Vidhyadevis, Yakshinis, Shalabhanjikas and other decorative sculptures comparable to the ones in
KhajurahoKhajuraho is a village in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, located in Chhatarpur District, about 385 miles southeast of Delhi, the capital city of India. One of the most popular tourist destinations in India, Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous for their...
and
Konarak*Konarak is a city in the Sistan va Baluchestan Province of Iran.*Konarak is an alternative spelling for the Indian city of Konark....
.
Mahavir Swami Temple
This is a small structure constructed in 1582 and dedicated to the 24th Jain Tirthankara, Lord Mahaveer. There are pictures on the upper walls of the porch painted in 1764 by the artists of
SirohiSirohi is a city in southern Rajasthan state in western India. It is the administrative headquarters of Sirohi District, and was formerly the capital of the princely state of the same name. Nearest railway station to Sirohi is Sirohi Road station.-Geography:...
.
Also see
- Hangal
Hangal is a town in Haveri district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is 75 km away from Hubli-Dharwad.It is on the left bank of the Dharma river, and has ruins of some fortification on the...
- Chalukya
- Western Chalukyas
The Western Chalukya Empire ruled most of the western Deccan, South India, between the 10th and 12th centuries. This dynasty is sometimes called the Kalyani Chalukya after its regal capital at Kalyani, today's Basavakalyan in Karnataka and alternatively the Later Chalukya from its theoretical...
- Western Chalukya architecture
Western Chalukya architecture , also known as Kalyani Chalukya or Later Chalukya architecture, is the distinctive style of ornamented architecture that evolved during the rule of the Western Chalukya Empire in the Tungabhadra region of central Karnataka, India, during the 11th and 12th centuries...
External links