Dilwara Jain Temples are situated in Dilwara village 3 km from Mount Abu, the famous and beautiful hill station of Rajasthan. Dilwara is adorned with beautiful Jain shrines and considered to be one of the wonders of the world. The temples are constructed in 11th and 12th century A.D. are completely made of marble. The Dilwara temples are a composite cluster of 5 temples. Archaeological evidence suggests that Mahavira himself visited the site, making it especially sacred to the Jains as a tirtha. As a temple city it ranks among the finest ones of the Jains.
About Dilwara Jain Temple :
Mount Abu is a famous pilgrimage center for Jains. It is blessed with stunning temples. When it comes to temples of Rajasthan nothing can beat the architectural beauty of Dilwara Jain Temples. The beauty of these temples are well acknowledged world over. Gracefully carved in marble, these temples were constructed between 11th and 13th century. Inside the temple you can see several Jain saints. The oldest among these temples is Vimal Vasahi temple built in 11th century by Vimal Shah, Minister of Solanki ruler of Gujarat .Here Shri Rishavadev. the first Tirthankara, is worshiped. Beautiful images of women performing dance are carved out on some of the pillars.
Dilwara Temples Architecture :
The Dilwara temples were built during the age of Jain supremacy and are one of the finest Jain temples India has to offer. Mount Abu’s chief claims to fame are the Jain temples architecture at Dilwara, about 5km from Nakki lake. Many experts consider them architecturally superior to the Taj Mahal. The architecture is marked by carvings that are not just ethereally beautiful in form but are often presented in a highly poetic context. For instance, one of the marble nayikas (maidens) is depicted as having just emerged from her bath. Droplets falling from her long hair are shown being drunk by a swan sitting by her feet.
Five Unique Temples at the Dilwara Temples :
Vimala Vasahi Temple : This Jain temple was built by Vimala Shah (variously described as a merchant and a minister of the Solanki ruler of Gujarat) to atone for his sins. This temple, dedicated to the first Jain tirthankar (fordmaker) Adinatha, involved a work force of 2,700 men and took a total of 14 years to complete at an exuberant cost, a worth noticing specimen of architectural splendor. Prithvipala, a descendant of Vimala, is also known to have added to the magnificent temple in 1150AD. The temple of Vimala is supposed to the oldest and the most `complete’ example of Jain temple architecture. The rather simple façade hides an amazingly beautiful interior.
Luna Vasahi Temple : The temple of Luna Vasahi dedicated to the 22nd Jain saint Neminath, was built two centuries later by two brothers, Tejpala and Vasupala. The inscription in this temple, however, ascribes its erection and endowment to Tejpalaa in memory of his brother. The inscription records that it was consecrated in 1230AD. This temple, though slightly smaller than Vimala Vasahi, illustrates further efflorescence of the style, accompanied by a richer elaboration of decorations. The doorways are framed by ornate bases, and the eight pillars of the assembly hall are loftier and of different types. In some places the marble is so finely carved that it seems translucent. The highlight is again the ceiling with magnificently carved figures of dancers, animals, mythological figures and processions of horsemen. From the center of the ceiling hangs a clustered and finely carved marble pendant. It is said that its artisans were told to make the pendant the only one of its kind, and were offered the weight of their marble shavings in gold. The more intricately they chiseled out the marble the more weight the scales got, making the artisans richer with each shaving.
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.
Facts about the Dilawara Temples :
For the people who come to perform puja here, there are facilities to bathe and get ready. The facilities use passive solar power to heat up the water for bathing and other things. There are guided tour hours for tourists which are posted outside the temple. You might see occasional monkeys looking for food outside the temple area.
How to Reach :
By Air– The nearest airport is Udaipur, which is connected to several cities by regular flights.
By Rail – Abu Road is the closest railhead for Mt Abu. Direct trains run from Abu Road to Ajmer, Jodhpur and Agra. The railhead is on the meter-gauge line between Delhi and Ahmedabad.
By Road– Mt. Abu is 185 km from Udaipur. It takes seven hours to reach Udaipur by buses.