Ranakpur Jain Temples, Kumbhalgarh - Timings, History, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 33 km from Kumbhalgarh Fort, and 97 km from Udaipur, Ranakpur Jain Temple is a holy place situated at Ranakpur near Sadri town in the Pali district of Rajasthan. Ranakpur is one of the five most important Jain pilgrimage sites of India and among the most famous places of pilgrimage in Rajasthan.

These Jain temples are dedicated to Lord Adinath, who was the first Jain Tirthankara. The most popular of the Jain temples present in the place include the Chaumukha Temple. Ranakpur is one of the prominent pilgrimage places to visit near Udaipur. Maharana Kumbha allotted land and encouraged his minister Dharana Shah to build this famous Jain temple. Dharana Shah under the spiritual influence of Acharya Somasundarsuriji has selected the plan of Depak of Mundara to construct the temple. The construction of the temple began in the year 1446 and in 1496 the idol was installed.

The temple is dedicated to Tirthankara Adinath, and is one of the famous places to visit as part of Kumbhalgarh tour. The complex structure of the temple has four separate entrance doors to penetrate the chambers. These chambers lead to the main hall or garbhagriha, where the idol of Lord Adinath is placed. The four-faced image of the Lord suggests the pursuit of Tirthankara's for the four directions and eventually the cosmos. The idol of the Lord is encircled by many other smaller shrines and domes.

Built over 40000 sq. feet of land, the sprawling temple is known for its intricate carvings and architectural beauty. The temple complex comprises four subsidiary shrines, along with 29 pillared halls and 80 domes that are supported by 1444 pillars, all intricately carved. The carvings on these pillars are present at a height of 45 feet and include pictures of nymphs playing flute and in various dance postures. It is surprising to know that no two pillars have the similar design. Apart from this, another stunning act about these pillars is that they change their color from golden to pale blue during the day. There are two huge bells in the main prayer hall, which are 108 kg each.

The complex of Chaumukha Temple consists of several other Jain temples like the temple of Parshvanath. This temple was built in the 15th century AD and is known for its engraved windows embellished with Jain figures. Near to this temple, there are two more temples out of which one is dedicated to Neminath, who was the 22nd Jain Tirthankara and the other one is dedicated to the Sun God. The sight of Lord Surya driving his chariot of seven horses is marvelous. Just one kilometer away from the temple complex is the temple of Amba Mata.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM