Ranakpur Chaumukha four faced temple 1439 Mahavir - Vardhamāna Mahāvīra 599–527 BC Jain Jainism India Rajasthan
Ranakpur is widely known for its marble Jain temple, and for a much older Sun Temple which lies opposite the former. The renowned Jain temple at Ranakpur is dedicated to Adinatha. Light colored marble has been used for the construction of this grand temple which occupies an area of approximately 60 x 62 meters. The temple, with its distinctive domes, shikhara, turrets and cupolas rises majestically from the slope of a hill. Over 1400 marble pillars, carved in exquisite detail, support the temple. The image faces all four cardinal directions. In the axis of the main entrance, on the western side, is the largest image. The construction of the temple and quadrupled image symbolize the Tirthankara's conquest of the four cardinal directions and hence the cosmos. The dating of this temple is controversial but it is largely considered to be anywhere between the late 14th to mid-15th centuries. Inspired by a dream of a celestial vehicle, Dharna Shah is said to have commissioned it, under the patronage of Rana Kumbha, then ruler of Mewad. The architect who oversaw the project is said to have been named Deepaka. This temple was nominated as one of the top 77 wonders in a contest for the new seven wonders of the world.
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Photo credit: © Peter Horree / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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