Ranakpur Jain Temple: The beautiful pilgrimage hidden in Rajasthan

When it comes to magnificent temples and pilgrimage places, Rajasthan proudly describes the base pilgrimage places in each of its cities. Almost every city in Rajasthan has at least one big sacred place to offer for each religion in this country. Be it the famous Darga-Sharif of Ajmer, Karni Mata temple of Bikaner, Tanot Mata in Jaisalmer, or the Ekling Nath temple near Udaipur, they all are popular and hold great accreditation among all the ethnicities within this country.

The Biggest Pilmirage – Ranakpur

Not so long ago, I stumbled upon the most perfect weekend getaway and hidden pilgrimage site near Udaipur called Ranakpur. This place is located roughly about 100 km away from Udaipur and is a perfect escape for those who are planning to see something other than lakes and historical sites near Udaipur.

The highway is pretty clear and within 2 hours you can reach this place from the main city of Udaipur. Though it’s an out-and-out pilgrimage site, it offers a lot more that could sort your plan for a short trip nearby. I wasn’t aware that such a beautiful gem is hiding in the valley until I planned to visit this place as well after my short trip to Kumbalgarh Fort. It’s almost 40 km away from the Kumbalgarh Fort and you wouldn’t want to miss this. Though Ranakpur is only a small village away from the bustling city life of Udaipur, if you’re looking for some peaceful time away from your hush-push busy life, this place is the therapy.

Ranakpur is a very small district and is famous for its consecrated Svetambra Jain Temple dedicated to Tirthankara Rishabhanatha. Located in the Ranakpur district of Rajasthan, this temple is famous for its grand marble structure and countless pillars on the premises. It is said that it has 1444 marble pillars, twenty-nine halls, eighty domes, and 426 columns. One pillar is incomplete and legend says every time it is built the next morning the pillar breaks down again.

The temple, with its distinctive domes, shikhara, turrets, and cupolas rises majestically from the slope of a hill. The 1444 marble pillars, carved in exquisite detail, support the temple. The pillars are individually carved and no two pillars are the same. It is impossible to count the pillars. The temple has a total of 84 bhonyra (underground chambers) built to protect the Jain idols from the Mughals.

The temple is famous for its beautiful carved idol of Parshvanatha made out of a single marble slab. The idol has 1008 snakeheads and numerous tails. Two chauri bearers and Yaksha and yakshi, half-human, and half-snake stand on either side. Two elephants are purifying Parshvanatha. One cannot find the end of the tails. The temple also has a representation of Ashtapad, showing eight tirthanakars in a row, Girnar, and Nandishwar Dvipa. The design of the temple inspired the Pittalhar temple, Dilwara in 1459 CE, and the Palitana temple complex in 1681.

Entry into the temple is free and any kind of photography inside the main temple is prohibited. You’re barred from taking your camera inside the area where the main deity is placed and the same can be submitted at the counters before the entrance by having a token issued for Rs. 10.

A small canteen is also available outside the temple area which is open for 2 hours only and you could get a Jain Thali for Rs. 80 and enjoy your food. The food is extremely tasty with a typical Jain-style preparation with no onions and garlic but heavenly. Dishes are more or less the same every day with a large number of Jain devotees flocking in there to consume the prasad offered in the canteen.

Preparation is pretty hygienic and you are allowed to visit the kitchen as well to see how it’s being prepared. It’s amazing to see how several devotees are standing in the kitchen to cook all the dishes in the purest way possible. You need to serve yourself and after you’re done, you can either wash your plates to do the “Seva” or put them into the container where they’ll be further carried into the cleaning area by the cleaners.

The time of visit is only from 10 AM to 4 PM and after this, if a devotee wants to stay, then he can stay at Dharamshala in the temple square by paying only Rs. 300 overnight. Jain families who come from Gujarat and surrounding areas prefer to stay here at night in Dharamshala so that they can enjoy kirtan and devotion. Resorts are available as well with plenty of facilities that make your stay even more enjoyable.

The Ranakpur village is entirely famous because of this Jain temple alone 1 day is enough to sink into the divine beauty of this place but you can always stay overnight and cherish a little longer as this place is never crowded and could fill your short trip with the everlasting aroma of relaxation and utter peace.

Read our other blog on yet another spiritual place in India called Padnabhaswamy Temple in Kerala.

To offer any seva or charity to Ranakpur Jain Temple, you can contribute on their official website.