Within the City Palace complex the tourists will come across Jagdish Temple. Made in Indo-Aryan style it dates back to 1651. It was built by Maharana Jagat Singh whose reign in Udaipur extended from 1628-53. Jagdish Temple in Udaipur is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. In Hindu mythology he is considered the preserver of the universe. This holy shrine is the largest temple in Udaipur. Swarm of devotees throng the temple to take a look at the lord. Jagdish Temple flaunts three stories and is entirely carved out of stone. The massive gateway to the temple is visible even from a distance of 150 meters from the Bara Pol of the City Palace.
Standing on several pillars the main hall is beautifully decorated with carved figures in stone. The walls are painted and the ceilings are decorated. Apart from the religious important it is an exquisite piece of art. The steeple of the temple is almost 79 feet high. Such massive structures are not very common in Udaipur. The shikhar or steeple is further decorated with sculptures of dancers, musicians, horse riders and elephants. Whether a person is an art lover or not he or she will be completely dumbfounded by its splendor.
Two life size elephant statues had been placed at the main entrance to welcome the devotees. An inscription referring to Maharaja Jagat Singh is also to be found here. A flight of 32 stairs will lead the visitors to the main idol. A stone effigy of Garuda (half man and half eagle) is also to be found at the temple premises. It is placed in such a way that the mythological character acts as the protector of Lord Jagdish or Vishnu.
The main idol of the lord is carved out of a single black stone. With four arms and composed face the figure of the god is quite striking. There are smaller shrines within Jagdish Temple. These arts are dedicated to Lord Shiva, Sun God, Goddess Shakti and Lord Ganesha. This is probably very few of those holy shrines that had been built keeping in mind the science of `Vastushstra`. The architectural grandeur as well as the religion make Jagdish Temple in Udaipur famous amongst the tourists.
