A grand treat of Chaumukha Mandir of Ranakpur

Ranakpur, a place in Rajasthan, is very famous amongst the Jains. The place houses the grand marble Jain Temple. Tourists from all over the world come to witness the magnificent structure of the temple. Here is the description of the temple and how to reach the place.

Ranakpur is a village located between Jodhpur and Udaipur. Like many other places of Rajasthan, Ranakpur is also a popular place of attraction. The famous Jain temple called Chaumukha Mandir is its main claim to fame. It is the pilgrimage centre for the Jains and the place is bit cut off from the mainstream tourist destinations of Rajasthan. This is one of the biggest and important temple complexes in India. This valley with the temple is situated on the western side of the Aravalli Range. Being an important centre for Jains, visitors on a spiritual trip visit here in large numbers and there are enough hotels in Ranakpur as the place witness devotees throughout the year.

The Chaumukha Mandir is the four faced temple surrounded by green gardens and when viewed with the background of the sandy desert the structure looks divine. The temple is dedicated to Adinath. 29 halls, 80 domes and 1444 pillars of the temple that are carved differently, make this temple a grand structure. The temple was built in the 15th century. The perfect carvings of the milky white marble is an amazing piece of art by the Indian craftsmen. The peace and harmony inside the temple complex is enticing enough to bring you back again. This style of architecture is known as Maru -Gurjara, it is an Indo-western architecture and is quite different from other North Indian temple structure. This grand temple covers an area of approximately 60 x 62 meters. The figures of dancing goddess engraved on the pillars are a complete wonders.

The temple complex also houses the two other temples, Neminath which is dedicated to 22nd tirthankar and Parasnath dedicated to 23rd tirthankar. Devotees also visit the nearby, Sun Temple and 1 km away Amba Mata Temple. Shoes, cigarettes, foods and leather articles are restricted inside all the temples.

How to Reach:

Maharana Pratap Airport Udaipur is the nearest airport which is just 2 hours away from Ranakpur. Daily airlines connect Jodhpur, Jaipur, Delhi and Mumbai with Udaipur. Falna is the nearest railway station from Ranakpur which is only 34 kms from the temple. As soon as you reach the airport or railway station, taxis and cabs are available to carry you to the city. Inter-state buses regularly ply between Ranakpur and few other cities of Rajasthan. It is not a problem to reach the temple complex.

October to March is the favourable time to visit Ranakpur and enjoy the temple delight. When you are visiting Udaipur, then a visit to this temple is a must. Make sure to book your accommodations before reaching the place. You can pick from the budget hotels in Ranakpur for a comfortable and memorable stay. Few of the hotels also offer a pick and drop facility from Falna railway station.