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Ranakpur is named after Rana Kumbha whom Dharna Sah, a Jain
businessman, approached when he had the vision of his great
temple to ask for the land for its construction. Renowned for
some marvelously carved Jain temples in amber stone, Ranakpur is
amongst the five holiest places of the Jain community and
exceptional in beauty. These temples were constructed in the AD
1439.
It is located in the
 mountain
ranges of Pali district, 39 kms. away from the Phalna railway
station. Ranakpur is reached after passing lush green valleys
and streams and the heart capturing views drive away any fatigue
of the journey. The Ranakpur Jain Temple were built during the
reign of the liberal and gifted monarch Rana Kumbha in the 15th
century. An enormous basement covers 48,000 sq. feet area. There
are four subsidiary shrines, twenty four pillared halls and
eligibly domes supported by over four hundred columns. The total
number of columns is 1,444 all of which are intricately carved
no two being alike. The artistically carved nymphs playing the
flute in various dance postures at a height of 45 feet are an
engrossing sight. In the assembly hall, there are two big bells
weighing 108 kgs. whose sound echoes in the entire complex.
Places to Visit
Ranakpur Jain Temple
The Ranakpur Jain Tem ple
was built during the reign of the liberal and gifted Rajput
monarch Rana Kumbha in the 15th century. The basement is of
48,000 sq. feet area that covers the whole complex. There are
four subsidiary shrines, twenty-four pillared halls and domes
supported by over four hundred columns. The total number of
columns is 1,444 all of which are intricately carved with no two
being alike. The artistically carved nymphs playing the flute in
various dance postures at a height of 45 feet are an interesting
sight. In the assembly hall, there are two big bells weighing
108 kg whose sound echoes in the entire complex. The main temple
is a Chaumukh or a four-faced temple dedicated to Adinath.
The three other Jain temples in the same complex, including a
temple of the Sun God, are all well worth a visit. One kilometer
away from the temple complex is the temple of Amba Mata
How To Get To Ranakpur
By Air:
The nearest airport is Udaipur 60 km south of Ranakpur. There
are regular flights to Delhi, Jaipur, Aurangabad, Jodhpur, and
Mumbai from Udaipur.
By Rail:
The nearest major railway station is Udaipur. There are trains
for Delhi, Chittaurgarh, Ajmer, and Jaipur from this station.
The nearest railway station from Ranakpur is Phalna but most of
the tourists prefer going to Udaipur to catch a train as it
offers more choice.
By Road:
There are frequent express buses from Udaipur that take around
three hours to reach Ranakpur. State transport corporation buses
as well as private buses connect Udaipur to other cities in the
region. Major destinations that are connected to Udaipur are
Jaipur, Ajmer, Kota/Bundi, Jodhpur, Chittaurgarh, Ahmedabad,
Vadodara, Mumbai, Delhi, Indore, and Mt Abu. |
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Rajasthan is one of the 26 states that, along, with
seven union territories forms the republic of India. Rajasthan
is one of the 26 states that, along, with seven union
territories forms the republic of India. Located in the
north-west, it shares its borders with Punjab, Hariyana, Uttar
Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and and Gujarat, The Complete Rajasthan
-- Take a desert- burning sand in the long summers, large tracts
of dune-decked plains, with scarce water and even scarcer
vegetation and create a habitation with the mind's eye, if you
can. And the come to Rajasthan to see if you imagination can
begin to match where reality takes over.
History
Archaeological and historical evidence shows a continuous human
habitation of the area dating back 100,000 years. Between the
7th and the 11th century AD, several dynasties arose, with
Rajput strength reaching its peak at the beginning of the 16th
century. Emperor Akbar brought the Rajput states into the Mughal
Empire; by early 19th century, they allied with the Marathas.
Later, the British established supremacy in the region.
Rajasthan soon emerged as a centre of Indian nationalism. When
the new constitution went into effect in 1950, Rajput princes
surrendered their powers to the Indian Union.
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