 Ranakpur is an ordinary village located in the Pali district of Rajasthan but the beauty of its Jain temple makes it an extraordinary destination for tourists. The village is located at a distance of 95 km from Udaipur city. The Jain temples in the village which were built in the 15th century hold their old world charm even today. Among the most impressive Jain temple of Ranakpur is the Chaturmukh Jain temple dedicated to Jain Tirthankara Rishavadev. Sprawling over an area of 48,000 sq ft., the temple was beautifully built by Rana Kumba. It took around 50 years for completion.
The Jain temple is famous for its architectural style and fabulous sculptures and carvings. The four shrines in the temple are set on carved columns. You will be overwhelmed by sighting the 24 Tirthankaras within the shrine. You can enter the temple by any of its four entrances. All the four entrances have four beautiful images of Jain Tirthankara Adinath, facing four different directions, carved in marble.
The domes, turrets and cupolas showcase the beauty of craftsmanship of medieval times. There are 1444 pillars flawlessly carved adding to the impact of the beauty of the temple. The interesting part is that no two pillars look alike. One important structure of tourist interest is an amazing structure carved out of a single marble rock. The carving is in the form of snake's heads and tails whose counting rises above one hundred. Try counting them separately. It will be fun! |
