Famous Temples in India

Architecture

The Palitana complex of temples is vast. There are an estimated 824 shrines, big and small dedicated to the Tirthankaras Many of them are grouped in enclosures and each group has a main temple and many lesser ones around it. The temples of Palitana display exquisite architecture and are heavily and very richly ornamented and adorned. The brilliance of the temple architecture lies in the fact that it has been constructed in such a unique way that the sunlight transforms the marble structures into some sort of an ivory shield. Out of the 863 temples the holiest one is the temple of Adishwar. This Tirth Sthal for Jains is primarily made out of marbles with tall and heavy pillars with several openings, kind of like a typical Hindu temple. The interiors are very intricately and finely carved complete with geometric lace designs, elaborately carved ceilings and clustered forms of canopies. The larger temples have considerable marble halls with columns and towers, and plenty of openings, unlike Hindu temples. They are situated in separate enclosures, surrounded by high fortified walls. Many of the temples are very small buildings only about 3 square feet (0.28 m2), with Jain emblems and sacred to Mahavira. The marble floors have tessellated patterns. The interiors are intricately carved, with carved ceilings with geometrical lace designs, clustered together to form a canopy. The temples are arranged in systematic groupings with variation in height and space. The buildings are carved in marble and are considered to be prayers in stone. They are grouped in nine separate wings or tuks, each wing having a separate central shrine or temple with minor shrines surrounding it. They have the unique features of the Chaumukh temple which is stated to be their creative preoccupation for large halls for holding discourses. This was prompted by their first Tirthankara's discourse. It is an ensemble involving four-sided buildings with doors so that images would be visible from all four sides or directions. The four sides are called the caturbimba (four-sided views), which is considered auspicious from all directions. Their religious texts also are oriented towards building "cities of temples" like Palitana and Ranakpur, a particular feature in Jainism.

Chaumukha temple - The Chaumukha temple is a four-sided building with doors so that the idols in the temple would be visible from all four directions. The Vimal Shah temple is a square structure with towers. The other standouts are Narsingh Kesharji temple and the Samavasaran temple, with 108 life-sketches in sculpture are also notable. The hectic climb of 4000 steps might not leave you with much time in hand to visit all the shrines as nobody is allowed to stay within the premises at night, you may consider travelling to Chaumukha temple. The temple gets its name for the four-faced statue of Adinath which faces four major directions. Built in 1618, the temple has carvings of countless squares that converge towards the top into a dome. The innermost structure is said to represent the five sacred hills of the Jains.

Adinath temple - The Adinath temple, which venerates Rishabha, is the main temple (in the apex of the northern ridge of the complex) in the complex and is the grandest. It has ornate architectural motifs, though in its overall plan, it is simpler than the Chaumukh temple. The jewelry collection of this temple is large, which can be seen with special permission from the Anandji Kalyanji Trust. The prayer halls of this temple (renovated in 1157 by Vagabhatta) is decorated with ornamental friezes of dragons. There are stairs from the quadrangle surrounding the temple which leads to a balcony from where one gets a scenic view of the temple complex. There are a series of domes with high spires, 1245 pitchers, 21 images of brightly colored lions, four yoginis, ten digpals (guards), 72 devkulikas, 32 dolls and 32 toranas. There are three pradakshina routes, followed in a clockwise direction, which are associated with this temple. The first is circular and includes the Sahasrakuta temple, the foot-idols under the Rayan tree, the temple of idols of feet of Ganadhar, and the temple of Simandhar Swami. The second passage passes the new Adishwar temple, Mt. Meru, the temple of Samavasaran temple and Sammet Shikhar temple. The third passage passes the Ashtapada temple, the Chaumukh temple.

Adishvara Temple - The Adishvara Temple has an ornamented spire, its main image is that of Rishabha and has a four-faced Adinatha image deified on a white pedestal, each face turned towards the cardinal directions.