Ranakpur Jain TempleRANAKPUR FACTS & FIGURES
- Location: North of Udaipur in Pali district, South Rajasthan, India
- Best time to Visit: September – March
- Significance: Jain temples, Falna, Sadri, Ghanerao.
Ranakpur in the state of Rajasthan is one of the five most important pilgrimage sites of Jainism.
Ranakpur is widely known for its marble Jain temple, and for a much older Sun Temple which lies opposite the former.
The construction of the temple, which had begun in 1446, Vikram Samvat, (roughly 600 years ago) took more than fifty years, to complete. It is estimated that about ninety-nine lakhs of rupees were spent on the construction of the temple.
The Past
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 one of the five holiest places of the Jain community and exceptional in beauty. Situated at a distance of around 60 km from Udaipur, these temples were constructed in the AD 1439.
Pilgrim/Tourist Attractions in Ranakpur
Ranakpur Jain TempleRanakpur Jain Temple
The world renowned state of the art temple was built in 15th century and is just 90 kms away from Udaipur. The temple is located in the gorgeous Aravali ranges. It is one of the most important pilgrim among the five prilgrims of the Jainism. It is perhaps the most Byzantine and massive of Jain temples in India, the area of the temples is about 40,000 square feet. The most dazzling highlight of this temple is the countless, forty feet high pillars. every one of those pillars are individually carved with its own design, and the resulting effect is nothing less than spectacular. Standing in this huge marble structure, complete with a centuries-old tree growing right inside, you are overcome with awe at its intricacy and beauty. The complex also contains several smaller temples, also fantastically carved.
Wildlife Sanctuary
Visiting this sanctuary is the best way to witness the beauty of of the great Aravali ranges. There you can encounter with panthers, jackals, rare birds, wild-pigs, deer etc.
How to Reach Ranakpur
- Air: The nearest airport is Udaipur 60 km south of Ranakpur.
- Rail: The nearest major railway station is Udaipur.
- Road: There are frequent express buses from Udaipur that take around three hours to reach Ranakpur.
