Ranakpur Jain Temple: A shrine having 1444 unique pillars
5 years ago
Dedicated to the first Tirthankara of Jainism Lord Rishabhdeva, Ranakpur Jain temple is a magnificent and giant structure known for its exquisite architecture. The Ranakpur Jain temple is a famous temple among Jain pilgrims. The Jain temple is a grand marble structure spreads over an area of 4500 square meters having 1444 marble pillars, twenty-nine halls, eighty domes, and 426 columns. The main attraction of the temple is that no two pillars are the same and it is believed that no one count the pillars.
The Ranakpur Jain temple is also known as Chaturmukha temple as it has four faces or Chaumukha. The Chaumukha Adinath idol is placed in the grabhgriha of the temple. The architecture and stone carvings of the temple are based on the Ancient Mirpur Jain Temple at Mirpur in Rajasthan. Temple also has an idol of Parshvanatha made out of a single marble rock having 1008 heads of snakes and numerous tails overhead. The end of the tails can’t be found.
According to Jain mythology, Dhanna Shah, a local Jain businessperson, started construction of the temple in the 15th century following a divine vision. The temple is located in a village of Ranakpur near Sadri town in the Pali district of Rajasthan. The other temples that are located Suparshvanatha temple, Sun temple, Sethi ki Badi Mandir.
The nearest railway station is Falna railway station to reach Ranakpur Jain temple. Also, it is just 90 km away from the Udaipur. The other nearest tourist destinations are Kumbhalgarh Fort, Ranakpur wildlife sanctuary.