The Adinath Temple of Ranakpur is dedicated to Lord Adinath also known as Bhagwan Rishabh Dev. It is located about 56 miles north of Udaipur. This Jain Temple was built in the 15th century under the patronage of King Rana Kumbha. It is said that it took 100 years to complete the structure. The Ranakpur temple lies in the remote valley of the Aravalli Mountain Range. The temple is believed to be one of the five holiest Jain sites. It is also named Dharna Vihara temple after its builder.
Adinath Temple was built by Dharna Shah. He belonged to a Rajasthani Jain family. His family were bestowed with the title Sanghapati i.e. one who bore the costs of the community pilgrimage. He served as the minister of Rana Kumbha who donated him the land for building the temple. It is stated that the main structure of the temple was finally inaugurated in 1441 in the presence of Dharna Shah.
Architecture of Adinatha Temple
The Architecture of Adinatha Temple looks splendid. The creativity and the gorgeous look of the temple are simply unimaginable. The elaborate sculptural work of the temple is worth seeing. The astonishing play of shadow, light and colours leaves the tourists spell bound. As the light shifts through the temple over the day the pillar`s colours change from white over bluish to gold.
The temple lies on a vast area of 60 x 62 m land. Light coloured marble from the quarries of Sonana and Sewadi was used for the construction of the temple. The principal temple, Chaumukha Temple, was built in the year 1439 with 29 halls and is supported by 1444 pillars. No two pillars are of the same design. The stone sculpture of the temple is a visual treaty for the beholder. Every nook and corner of the shrine is carved with the images of Jain saints. Open on all the four sides the quadruple figure of Adinath stands in the main sanctuary. The temple is three storied with four subsidiary shrines. A total of 80 spires are supported by 420 columns. The intricate stonework will remind the visitors of lace work. The unending vistas of the carved pillars reveal floral and scroll motifs preferably than the human figures. With the shift in the daylight the colours of the pillars also alter. Such amazing features of the Jain temple in Rajasthan make it a popular tourist destination.
The entire interior of the temple is done in details. The precision with which the work has been done is truly impressive. Another important attraction of the temple is the Bodhi tree. It is considered to be 400 years old. It is an example of a living Kalpa Vriksha. Two smaller Jain temples are also located within the premises of the temple; these are the Parsvanadi and the Neminath. These temples house exquisite sculptures and pierced stone work. Besides these 15th century Hindu Surya Narayan Temple, dedicated to the Sun God is also to be found in the star shaped temple complex.
Since its construction the temple has been repaired and renovated several times. Many people came forward for the construction of the devakulikas and mandaps. The temple has been managed by the Anandji Kalyanji Pedhi trust in the past century.