Dilwada Jain Temples

Image credit : Elizabeth

Image credit : naohuth

The Jain Dilwara temples of India are located about 2½ kilometers from Mount Abu, Rajasthan. It is at hill station. These temples dating back from the 11th to the 13th century AD are world famous for their stunning use of marble. They are an overwhelming blend of simple beauty and exquisite elegance. The marble temples have an opulent entranceway. The simplicity in architecture verily reminds one that Jainism as a religion “encouraged honesty and frugality”.  The temples reside amidst mesmerizing surroundings of mango trees and wooded hills. A high wall, shimmering luminous in the sunlight, shrouds the temple complex. The five legendary marble temples of Dilwara are the sacred pilgrimage of the Jains.

Image credit : east med wanderer

Although the Jains built some beautiful temples at other places in Rajasthan but none come close to these in terms of architectural perfection. The ornamental detail spread over the minutely carved ceilings, doorways, pillars and panels is simply marvellous and has to be seen to be believed.

Vimal Vasahi Temple :

Image credit : Zé Eduardo…

This temple carved entirely out of white marble was built in 1021 AD by Vimal Shah, a minister of Raja Bhimdeo. The temple is dedicated to the 1st Jain Tirthankara (teacher or guide) Adi Nath. The temple stands in an open courtyard surrounded by a corridor, which has numerous cells containing smaller idols of the Tiranthakaras. The richly carved corridors, pillars, arches, and ‘mandaps’ or porticoes of the temple are simply amazing. The ceilings feature engraved designs of lotus-buds, petals, flowers and scenes from Jain and Hindu mythology. The Rang mandap is a grand hall supported by 12 decorated pillars and nicely carved out arches with a breathtaking central dome. On the pillars are carved female figurines playing musical instruments and 16 Vidhyadevis or the goddesses of knowledge each one holding her own symbol.

The Navchowki is a collection of nine rectangular ceilings, each one containing beautiful carvings of different designs supported on ornate pillars. The Gudh mandap is a simple hall once you step inside its heavily decorated doorway. Installed here is the idol of Adi Nath or Lord Rishabdev, as he is also known. The mandap is meant for ‘Arti’ to the deity. The Hastishala (Elephant Cell) was constructed by Prithvipal, a descendant of Vimal Shah in 1147-49 A.D and features a row of elephants in sculpture.

Image credit : jaikant

Luna Vasahi (Shri Nemi Nathji temple) :

Image credit : Arvind

The Luna Vashi temple is dedicated to the 22nd Tirthankara Shri Nemi Nathji. This magnificent temple was built in 1230 AD by two brothers – Vastupal and Tejpal – both ministers of a local ruler. The temple built in memory of their late brother Luna was designed after the Vimal Vashi temple. The main hall or Rang mandap features a central dome from which hangs a big ornamental pendent featuring elaborate carving. Arranged in a circular band are 72 figures of Tirthankaras in sitting posture and just below this band are 360 small figures of Jain monks in another circular band. The Hathishala or elephant cell features 10 beautiful marble elephants neatly polished and realistically modelled.

The Navchowki features some of the most magnificent and delicate marble stone cutting work of the temple. Each of the nine ceilings here seems to exceed the others in beauty and grace. The Gudh mandap features a black marble idol of the 22nd Jain Tirthankara Neminath. The Kirthi Stambha is a big black stone pillar that stands on the left side of the temple. The pillar was constructed by Maharana Kumbha of Mewar. The remaining three temples of Dilwara are smaller but just as elegant as the other two.

Image credit : Perrine

Pittalhar Temple :

This temple was build by Bhima Shah, a minister of Sultan Begada of Ahmedabd. A massive metal statue of Rishab Dev (Adinath), cast in five metals is installed in the temple. The main metal used in this statue is ‘Pital’ (brass), hence the name ‘Pittalhar’. The Shrine consists of a main Garbhagraha, Gudh mandap and Navchowki.

Parshavanath Temple :

This temple, dedicated to Lord Parshavnath was built by Mandlik and his family in 1458-59 A.D. It consists of a three storied building, the tallest of all the shrines at Dilwara. On all the four faces of the sanctum on the ground floor are four big mandaps. The outer walls of the sanctum comprise of beautiful sculptures in gray sandstone, depicting Dikpals, Vidhyadevis, Yakshinis, Shalabhanjikas and other decorative sculptures comparable to the ones in Khajuraho and Konark.

Mahaveer Swami Temple :

This is a small structure constructed in 1582 A.D. and dedicated to the 24th Jain Tirthankara, Lord Mahaveer. There are pictures on the upper walls of the porch painted in 1764 A.D. by the artists of Sirohi.

Sri Siddhivinayak Temple ( Mumbai, Maharashtra)

Shri Siddhivinayak Temple situated in holy land of Maharashtra Mahim east near by railway station. The siddhi vinayak has its own speciallity. In 1987 the vision came from lord Ganapathi in to the heart of Shri Chellappa and today we see a holy construction consist of different idols and lords.Shri Chellappa initiated the process of converting his earnings in to construction of the temple and the contribution from wellwishers. He was not even able to afford stay but still he had the vision for constructing a raja gopuram for siddhi vinayak.

Image credit : Swami Stream

The special visit made by Shri-Muruga Kirubananda Warier in 1996-repeated visit by Kanchipuram Periyar Shri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal during 1998-2000. Thiruvaarkadu Ramada’s Swamigal, Jayaendra Saraswathi chaired the Kumbhabishegam, Madurai Thiru Moorthi Siththar in 2006 laid the Dhakshinamoorthi statue in the presence of all these personalities increased the holiness of the temple.

Image credit : MANISH

The temple carries four times routine pooja daily and on Tuesday and Friday during the rahu kala pooja for durga devi, special god message is passed by an devotee, thiru vilaku pooja, shankada chathoordhi special pooja and annadanams are followed as per the need, Ganesh Chaturthi, Iyyappa Mandala pooja, Hanuman Jayanthi, Navrathri Vijayam, Mahashivrathri,Nagapanchami,Thai Poosam,Vaikasi Visakam,Shani Peyarchi & Guru Peyarchi are specially celebrated.

Image credit : AbhijeetRane

The temple is built in Dravidian architectural style. The temple posse’s vast courtyards spacious hall and sculptural pillars with cement. The garba graham is made with enshrining big sized black granite idol of lord sddhi ,budhi ,sameja vinayaga with mouse. several mandaps are installed with adorable deities like durga devi,lord hanuman placing on the left valli deivanai, sameda Subramanian and on right lord Ayyappan made of five metal idol like the idol of the sabari malai. The rules and regulation underlines the principles of Sabarimalai Idol .

Image credit : Usha

Lord dhakshina moorthi (guru bagwan) takes his place on the right side of lord iyyappa. In the back of vinayagar garba graha lord shiva, lord nagarajar and nagamma shiva linga is place under the pimple tree. Navgrihas are placed in the right side of the temple attracting devotees from all over the places with several devotional activities conducted throughout the year for all the dieties.

The temple top is constructed with raja gopuram at a height of 45 feet from the ground sculptured with 80 dolls of deities in gopuram rajagopuram are the special treat for eyes, 19 feet cement idols of hanuman also reminds the history of Ramayana mentioning the war in Srilanka on the Rajagopuram. Raja Gopurams is the biggest structure built for Ganesh Temple in Dharavi Mumbai with southern architectural style.

Sun Temple – konark( Orissa )

Image credit : SSVV

Konark (or Konarak) is a small town in the state of Orissa, India, on the Bay of Bengal, sixty-five kilometres from Bhubaneswar. Konark is the site of the 13th-century Sun Temple (also known as the Black Pagoda), built in black granite by King Narasimhadeva. The temple is one of the most important Brahman sanctuaries, and is a world heritage site. It takes the form of the chariot of Surya, the sun god, and is heavily decorated with stone carving.

Image credit : Sanjay P. K.

Image credit : Marc Levoy

The roof of the jagamohana, made of horizontal tiers grouped in three stages with life-size female sculptures of matchless charm and delicacy adorning each stage, the whole surmounted by two stupendous crowning members, produces a picturesque contrast of light and shade and is unparalleled for its grandeur and structural propriety. Majestic in conception, this temple is indeed one of the sublimest Monuments of India, notable as much for its imposing dimensions and faultless proportions as for the harmonious integration of architectural grandeur with plastic elegance.

Image credit : rishi

The temple is now partly in ruins, and a collection of its sculptures is housed in the Sun Temple Museum, which is run by the Archaeological Survey of India. The poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote of Konark: “here the language of stone surpasses the language of man”. Konark is also home to an annual dance festival, held every December, devoted to classical Indian dance forms, including the traditional classical dance of Orissa, odissi.

Image credit : Siddhu

Built in the 13th century, it was conceived as a gigantic solar chariot with 12 pairs of exquisitely-ornamented wheels dragged by seven rearing horses. The temple comprised a sanctum with a lofty (presumably over 68 m. high) sikhara, a jagamohana (30. m. square and 30. m. high) and a detached nata-mandira (hall of dance) in the same axis, besides numerous subsidiary shrines. The sanctum and the nata-mandira have lost their roof. The nata-mandira exhibits a more balanced architectural design than that of other Orissan temples. The sanctum displays superb images of the Sun-god in the three projections which are treated as miniature shrines. The sanctum and the jagamohana together stand on a common platform studded with an intricate wealth of decorative ornaments and sculptures, often of a highly erotic type.