Dilwara Temples: In Mount Abu

The Dilwara Temples

The Dilwara temples are the most scared temple of the Jains . It is situated in mountAbu in Rajasthan state of India. The MountAbu is easily approachable by train and road. MountAbu is a very beautiful place situated at around 4000 ft above sea level. It has got many beautiful places like Toad rock, Adhar devi temple, sunset point, head office of the group which is for brotherhood among all people of world and the females there live like nuns. Among other place of interest there is Dilwara temples.

The Dilwara Temples were built around 11^th to 13^th century AD . The first temple was built by Chalykya. These temples were built with lots and lots of cost and are totally built in marble. Every wall and pillar and roof of the temples have so much fine work in marble and are very beautiful. The temples are surrounded by high walls and are situated in hilly forest.

The architecture is very simple and it shows the values which Jain religion preach ie simplicity, honesty and fragility.

Jains have built many temples in India but these temple are ahead of all in design and area and are the most beautiful of all Jain temples.

There are separate places to bath and get ready if you want to perform Puja (worship) there and if you only want to see then there are guided tours of these temples.

Since these temples were made over 2 centuries and thus there are five temples in all in the complex. If you see these temples from a distance and height they resemble the mosques with round domes on top of them and look very unimpressive giving no hint that so much wealth is inside the temples. This was done because during those times there were many Muslims invaders in India from Afghanistan who would raise the temples and loot all the wealth from them.

There are Five temples inside the Dilwara temple complex. They all are unique from each other and named after the village they are situated in.

1. Shri Adinath temple ( Vimal Vasahi) . This was the first temple made and is dedicated to the first lord of the Jain religion Shri Rishab. This temple was built by Vimal Shah from Gujrat. He was minister of the king there. It was built in 1031 AD and all the walls and pillars are beautifully built and carved in the marble. Each small round carving on walls and roof has lots of minutely carved stone images of the lord Adinath and all are built in one stone with no breakage as Hindu and Jain religion forbid any sculpture which has a joint or breakage in stone. The roof of the dome has lots and lots of small and minute flowers and petals carved in marble while many pillars have carvings of females figures playing many musical instruments.
2. ShriNeminathTemple ( Luna Vasahi) . It is dedicated to the 22^nd lord of Jain religion Shri Neminath. This temple was built by two brothers Tejpal and Vastupal in 1230 AD. It has got a central hall called Rag Mandapa which has got three hundred and sixty (360) very minute statues of Jain lords which are very beautiful to see and no where the broken stone has been used. All these are made in white marble while the main stiatue in the center of the hall is of lord Neminathji which is made of black marble. The white marble was brought from the Makarana marble mines same marble as is used in The Taj Mahal.
3. Shri Rishab temple (Pithalhar) . It is again dedicated to first lord of Jain religion Shri Rishab. This temple is built in pital ( brass) and that’s why it is also called pithalhar temple. This temple was built by the royalty of Gujrat shri Bhima Shah. It is grand in design and the cost was enormous. 4 tones of metal was used in this temple and till date it is unfinished.
4. ShriParshvaNathTemple ( Khartar Vasahi) This temple is dedicated to 23^rd lord of Jain religion Shri Parshva. It was built in 1458 and was built by Madlik family. It is tallest of all the temples and is three story tall. The stuatues are as beautiful as Khajorao and konark.
5. ShriMahavirSwamiTemple ( Mahavir Swami). This temple is dedicated to 24^th  and last lord of Jain religion Shri mahavir Swami. . This temple was built in 16^th century and this temple is smaller to other temples in area and  the upper walls and the roof had lots of pictures which were painted by the craftsmen form the Sirohi District in Rajasthan and it was completed in 18^th century.

Most of the people go there to see the first and second temple but it is advisable to look the entire temple. There are lots of greenery there and you can find a lot of monkeys too.

The Dilwara temple is far superior to the Taj mahal in design and architecture. The minute work in stone is much finer and better than the Taj Mahal and it is much more esthetically superior to the Taj Mahal.

Those foreigners who wish to travel to India then this is one place to see.