“A Jewel in the Jungle”
This is a beautiful temple complex, built in the 15th century, standing
in the middle of the forests about 90 km from Udaipur. We hired a taxi
from Club Mahindra Fort Kumbhalgarh and it took about an hour to reach
here. The route was quite scenic as we drove through the Kumbhalgarh
Wildlife Sanctuary.
All the temples and the dharamshalas stand in a walled enclosure. Just outside is a Hindu Temple dedicated to the Sun God. There are three Jain Temples dedicated to Rishabhadeva, Neminath and Parsvanath and have exquisite and intricate carvings in white marble. The main temple, called the Chaturmukha Adinath Temple is dedicated to Rishabhadeva, or Adinath, the first of the Jain Tirthankaras. With its 29 halls and 1444 distinctly different carved pillars, it is an astounding monument. Even the domed ceiling has exquisite carvings in marble.
The temple opens at 6 am, but non-Jains are allowed in only after 12 noon. Entry to the temple is free, but you have to pay for your camera. You are still not allowed to photograph the main idol, though. Security is very strict and you have to deposit everything, including water bottles, at the entrance. The pujaris are very attentive and respectful and even offer to show you around (pay as you wish).
At 1 pm we went to the mess in the dharamshala for lunch. There were about a 100 people who were being served in thalis, after payment of Rs.50. We were served two vegetables, dal, papad, pickle, chapati and rice.
There are some good hotels for visitors who want to stay overnight or longer at Ranakpur. These include the ‘Fateh Bagh Hotel’, a luxurious heritage palace, and the ‘Maharani Bagh Orchard Retreat’ which has pretty cottages set in a mango orchard. Ranakpur is an ideal place for a peaceful vacation with long walks into the forests.
All the temples and the dharamshalas stand in a walled enclosure. Just outside is a Hindu Temple dedicated to the Sun God. There are three Jain Temples dedicated to Rishabhadeva, Neminath and Parsvanath and have exquisite and intricate carvings in white marble. The main temple, called the Chaturmukha Adinath Temple is dedicated to Rishabhadeva, or Adinath, the first of the Jain Tirthankaras. With its 29 halls and 1444 distinctly different carved pillars, it is an astounding monument. Even the domed ceiling has exquisite carvings in marble.
The temple opens at 6 am, but non-Jains are allowed in only after 12 noon. Entry to the temple is free, but you have to pay for your camera. You are still not allowed to photograph the main idol, though. Security is very strict and you have to deposit everything, including water bottles, at the entrance. The pujaris are very attentive and respectful and even offer to show you around (pay as you wish).
At 1 pm we went to the mess in the dharamshala for lunch. There were about a 100 people who were being served in thalis, after payment of Rs.50. We were served two vegetables, dal, papad, pickle, chapati and rice.
There are some good hotels for visitors who want to stay overnight or longer at Ranakpur. These include the ‘Fateh Bagh Hotel’, a luxurious heritage palace, and the ‘Maharani Bagh Orchard Retreat’ which has pretty cottages set in a mango orchard. Ranakpur is an ideal place for a peaceful vacation with long walks into the forests.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
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