It's my country's glory

Hanging on the temple's roofs, the lotus-shaped dome's pendant comes down to form a circular narrowing point, which appears like a lotus. Horses, swans, and players playing instruments. Artistic creations made on pillars and archway doors.

The ornate idols of 16 Vidya goddesses on the ceiling and the translucent excellence of the lustrous and delicately marbled craftsmanship are a sight to behold in the Jain temples of Dilwara. The innovative craft and sculpture here are much more than the Jain temples of Ranakpur. Also, this temple is no less than a wonder. We get to see the artistic diversity of the temples in the ceilings, doors, towers and assembly pavilions, whose wonderful crafts differ. In these temples, we see the glory of Jain culture and Indian culture. These exquisitely carved temples are considered one of the country's most popular attractions. The viewer gets mesmerized seeing their unmatched artistry and gets lost in the hypnosis of the magical art of the temples.

Simple looking on the outside, this group of five temples carved with exquisite craftsmanship on the inside was built in white marble between the 11th and 13th centuries. Two of these temples are vast and grand, and three temples are their complementary temples. This group of Jain temples is the world-famous attraction of the Sirohi district on Mount Abu, the only hill station in Rajasthan. The grand Jain temples of Delwara fulfil every condition for inclusion in India's World Heritage due to their historical, artistic and natural importance.

Vimal Vasahi Temple

The largest temple in the group of artistic Jain temples is Vimal Vasahi, dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankar Lord Adinath. This temple was built by Vimal Shah, the minister and commander of the Chalukya king Bhimdev of Gujarat, in 1031 AD after the wish of having a son was fulfilled. It is said that 1500 craftsmen and 1200 labourers made the hypnosis of sculpture come true with their hammer chisel in constructing the temple. With the hard work of all these artisans for fourteen years, this temple was built for 18 crore rupees. 13 thousand craftsmen have made the temple about 98 feet long and 42 feet wide. Vimal Vasahi Temple is divided into four main parts. The white marble used in the temple was brought here from a distance of forty km on the backs of elephants. Coming down the stairs a little, you can see Rang Mandap or Sabha Mandap in front as soon as you reach its courtyard. Just ahead of this is Navchowki, and after that, there is the sanctum sanctorum, where the idol of Adinath is enshrined. There are corridors all around the courtyard, on the sides of which there are idols of different Tirthankaras in small chambers. In this holy pilgrimage, a temple of Shvetambara Jain followers, the black-coloured idol of 22nd Tirthankara Neminath was consecrated on Chaitra Krishna Tritiya Samvat 1287 with the hands of Acharya Shri Vijaysen Suri. The eyes of the idol of Adinath in this temple are made of natural diamonds. And around his neck is a necklace of precious stones.

Jain Tirthankaras's idols are in the octagonal hall of the Vimal Vasahi temple. The delicate carving and sculpture of the temple's pillars, walls, pylons, roof and dome are beautiful. Decorated with flower leaves and other cute designs, carved ceilings, magnificent marble figures of animals and birds, beautiful vines carved closely on white pillars, and towers decorated with lattice carvings are made on sight. Sculptures engraved in 11 circular rows are visible in the vast Gol Gumbaz. Upstairs on each pillar, the statues of 16 Vidya Devis mounted on various vehicles are seen. There are 57 Deoris established in the temple, where the idols of Tirthankaras and other deities have been installed.

Luna Vasahi Temple

Luna Vasahi is an excellent example of art similar to the Vimal Vasahi temple. This temple was built by Solanki rulers Tejpal and Vastupal. The interior of this temple, which looks plain from the outside, is fantastic. Marble stone has been worked so finely that the marble looks completely transparent. The mosaic is so vibrant and lifelike that it compels the viewer to stare with a twinkle.

There is an exciting story about the construction of the Luna Vasahi temple. This temple is named after Tejbal's brother Lun who died prematurely in childhood. According to legends, before one of their religious journey, these brothers buried their wealth under a tree. On his return from pilgrimage, he found more money at the same place. Taking this as an encouraging sign, Tejpal's wife, Anupama, advised him to build a temple with this money. Apart from Mount Abu, Tejpal built many temples dedicated to Tirthankar Neminath at Girnar and other places. Spread over 1500 square meters, the dome of Roop Mandap of this temple is more prominent and attractive than that of Vimal Vasahi.

The dome of the Roop Mandap of the temple is more prominent and attractive than that of Vimal Vasahi. The circular strips on the side of the crown have the images of 72 Tirthankaras in sitting posture. In the temple's corridors, important events from the life of Tirthankar Neminath are beautifully carved in stone. The Gokhdas of Devrani and Jethani has been made very artistically in the temple, in which the idols of Lord Adinath and Shantinath have been installed. It is said that the wives of Tejpal and Vastupal used to compete that their goods should be better than the other. The artisans rebuilt these pillars several times. In the end, an artisan made such a structure which was identical in appearance but made some subtle changes in Jethani's gokhda, which kept her preference.

Pitalhar Temple

In the sanctum sanctorum of this temple, a 40-quintal heavy statue of the first Tirthankar Rishabhdev made of Panchdhatu is installed. Due to the prominent inclusion of brass in the statue, it was named Pitalhar. The temple consists of the main sanctum sanctorum, Gud Mandap and Navchowk. According to the inscription located in the temple, the idol weighing 108 medals (four metric tons) was consecrated in 1468-69 AD. Built-in the 15th century, this temple was built by Bhim Shah, the minister of Sultan Dada of Ahmedabad, who laid the foundation of the temples of Ranakpur. Shree Parshwanath Temple

It is a three-storied temple, the tallest among all the temples of Dilwara. Dedicated to Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara of Jainism, this temple was built by Mandlik and his family in 1458-59. There are four huge pavilions on the ground floor on the four faces of the sanctum. The temple's outer walls have beautiful sculptures in grey sandstone that include Dixit, Vidya Devis, Yakshas, Shabdanjis and other decorative carvings reminiscent of the Khajuraho and Konark temples. There are pavilions in all four directions of the three-storied temple, in front of which the idol of Parshvanath is installed.

Shri Mahaveer Swami Temple

This temple is a relatively small temple of all temples, which is dedicated to Mahavir Swami, the 24th and last Tirthankara of Jainism. It was built in 1582 AD. Beautiful carvings have been done on the walls, and paintings have been done on the upper walls by the artists of Sirohi in 1764 AD.

The architecture and polishing of the sculptures of the Dilwara temples on Mount Abu are so shiny that even after being hundreds of years old, they look new. These beautiful Jain temples where the art, faith and belief of Jainism are symbolized. Devotees remember the divine atmosphere and wonderful feeling here; perhaps that's why people of every religion and tourists from every corner of the world are drawn here. These temples remain open till noon for the followers of the Jain religion. After this, the facility of viewing it is available to general tourists. The temple is situated at a distance of about 3 km from the centre of Mount Abu city. Bus and taxi facilities are readily available to reach the temple.

important information

Along with these grand artistic Jain temples - the temple of Arbuda Devi Mata situated on the hill in Mount Abu, Achalgarh Fort, Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple, natural beauty of Gurushikhar, Guru Dattatreya Temple, the beauty of Nakki Lake amidst mountains all around, Toad Rock, Sunset point, and Shanti Udyan of Brahmakumari etc. are places to visit. Adventure lovers can enjoy trekking and camping on Mount Abu. In adventure activities, you can enjoy pro climbing, rope line, night camping, and wildlife; in night camping, you can enjoy the tribal culture. The Summer Festival is celebrated in May-June, and the Winter Festival in December, where tourists can enjoy Rajasthani folk music - dance apart from the beauty of Mount Abu. Being a tourist place, all types of fast food, veg street food, and non-veg food are available here, yet what to say about Rajasthan's famous, especially Mount Abu's famous Dal Bati Churma, Kachori, Pakode Lassi and Ghevar's test. Hotels, guest houses, and Dharamshala of every budget are available to stay here. The nearest railway station is Abu Road. It is well connected by bus service to Delhi and all major cities of India and Rajasthan. Bus service is also available from here to Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Mount Abu is about 445 km from Jaipur, 261 km from Jodhpur and 163 km from Udaipur and 256 km from Ahmedabad. The nearest airport is Udaipur, where you can travel 163 km via taxi or railway. Tourists can visit Mount Abu any time of the year.

-- Dr Prabhat Kumar Singhal

Writer and Journalist, Kota