Dilwara temple

The Jain Dilwara temples of India are located about 2 kilometres

from Mount Abu, Rajasthan's only hill station. These temples were built
by Chalukya between the 11th and 13th centuries AD. They are famous
for their use of marble. The five marble temples of Dilwara are a sacred
pilgrimage place of the Jains. The marble temples have an opulent
entranceway. The temples are in the midst of a range of forested hills. A
high wall shrouds the temple complex.
There are five temples in all, each with its own unique identity. Each
is named after the small village in which it is located. These are:
Vimal Vasahi, dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankara, Adinath.
Luna Vasahi, dedicated to the 22nd Jain Tirthankara, Neminatha.
Pithalhar, dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankar, Rishabha
Parshvanath, dedicated to the 23rd Jain Tirthankara, Parshva.
Mahavir Swami, dedicated to the last Jain Tirthankara, Mahavira.
The most famous of these are the Vimal Vasahi and Luna Vasahi
temples.
VIMAL VASAHI TEMPLE
This temple carved entirely out of white marble was built in 1021 by
Vimal Shah, a minister of Bhimidev I, the Chalukya King (Solanki
Maharaja) of Gujarat. The temple is dedicated to Lord Rishabha. The
temple stands in an open courtyard surrounded by a corridor, which has
numerous cells containing smaller idols of the Tirthankaras.
The richly carved corridors, pillars, arches, and 'mandaps' or porticoes of
the temple are simply amazing. The ceilings feature engraved designs of
lotus-buds, petals, flowers and scenes from Jain and Hindu mythology.

Overview of the temple complex. To

avoid catching attention of Muslim
invaders people of those times
deliberately made a ghumbaz top
with simple exteriors so that it did
not attract attention of invaders and
possible destruction thereafter.

The Methodology of Carving

In the temples in Mount Abu even chiseling was put aside, and artisans
adopted the sedulous task of thinning the marble into carved images, a
worth noticing architectural splendor. This was done by gently scraping
away the surface till a figure eventually emerged, so intricate and fine
that it was intelligibly magnificent. This is the reason why the temples in
Mount Abu and Ranakpur are said to be the finest Jain temples in the
world.

The Rang manda is a grand hall supported by 12 decorated pillars and nicely carved out
arches with a breathtaking central dome. On the pillars are carved female figurines playing
musical instruments and 16 Vidhyadevis, or the goddesses of knowledge, each one holding
her own symbol which is believed to be memorial of victorious Brahma Kumaris follower
from last Kalpa.
The Navchowki is a collection of nine rectangular ceilings, each one containing beautiful
carvings of different designs supported on ornate pillars. The Gudh mandap is a simple hall
once you step inside its heavily decorated doorway. Installed here is the idol of Adi Nath or
Lord Rishabdev, as he is also known. The mandap is meant for Aarti to the deity. The
Hastishala (Elephant Cell) was constructed by Prithvipal, a descendant of Vimal Shah in
1147-49 and features a row of elephants in sculpture.
LUNA VASAHI
The Luna Vashi temple is dedicated to Lord Neminath. This
magnificent temple was built in 1230 by two Porwad
brothers - Vastupal and Tejpal - both ministers of a
Virdhaval, the Vaghela ruler of Gujarat. The temple built in
memory of their late brother Luna was designed after the
Vimal Vashi temple. The main hall or Rang mandap features
a central dome from which hangs a big ornamental pendent
featuring elaborate carving. Arranged in a circular band are
72 figures of Tirthankars in sitting posture and just below
this band are 360 small figures of Jain monks in another
circular band. The Hathishala or elephant cell features 10
beautiful marble elephants neatly polished and realistically
modelled.
The Navchowki features some of the most magnificent and
delicate marble stone cutting work of the temple. Each of
the nine ceilings here seems to exceed the others in beauty
and grace. The Gudh mandap features a black marble idol
of the 22nd Jain Tirthankar Neminatha. The Kirthi Stambha
is a big black stone pillar that stands on the left side of the
temple. The pillar was constructed by Maharana Kumbha of
Mewar. The remaining three temples of Dilwara are smaller
but just as elegant as the other two.

PITTALHAR TEMPLE
This temple was built by Bhama Shah kavdia [Rajasthan]. A massive metal statue of first Jain
Tirthankara Rishabha Dev (Adinath), cast in five metals, is installed in the temple. The main
metal used in this statue is 'Pital' (brass), hence the name 'Pittalhar'. The Shrine consists of a
main Garbhagriha, Gudh mandap and Navchowki. It seems that the construction of
Rangmandap and the corridor was left unfinished. The old mutilated idol was replaced and
installed in 1468-69 AD weighing 108 maunds (about 40 quintals or four metric tons) according
to the inscription on it. The image was cast by an artist 'Deta' which is 8 ft (2.4 m). high, 5.5 ft
(1.7 m). broad and the figure is 41 inches (1,000 mm) in height. In Gudh Mandap on one side, a
big marble Panch-Tirthi sculpture of Adinath is installed.

PARSHVANATHA TEMPLE
This temple, dedicated to Lord Parshvanath, was built
by Mandlik and his family in 1458-59 It consists of a
three storied building, the tallest of all the shrines at
Dilwara. On all the four faces of the sanctum on the
ground floor are four big mandaps. The outer walls of
the sanctum comprise beautiful sculptures in gray
sandstone, depicting Dikpals, Vidhyadevis, Yakshinis,
Shalabhanjikas and other decorative sculptures.
MAHAVIR SWAMI TEMPLE
This is a small structure constructed in 1582 and
dedicated to Lord Mahavira. There are pictures on the
upper walls of the porch painted in 1764 by the artists
of sirohi.

Marvelous Architecture Splendor

The architectural vocabulary of the region included ornamental rendering of flowers and creepers. The portrayal of Yakshini
Chakreshwari, the attendant deity of Adinatha (first Jain saint) is an integral part of the temple. Keeping with the prevailing
aesthetic norms the figures have sharp facial features set in broad faces and narrow waists. The intricately sculpted arches
here are of two types; one with regular wavy undulations and the other, which is seen in the Vimala Vasahi, with
exaggerated curves. Two of these temples have been singled out by many experts as outstanding. These are the Vimala
Vasahi built in 1031-32AD and Luna Vasahi built in 1230.

The Shrine of Jina Adinatha

From the pavilion one passes into a secluded courtyard. Here the temple resolves itself into a
colonnade which forms an open arcade containing the shrine. Seated in the center of this shrine is
the cross-legged seated figure Jina Adinatha, to whom the temple is dedicated. The entire interior
architecture is leniently covered with elaborate carvings, but the splendour of the domed ceiling
of this hall is what sets it apart from all others. This dome is built up of 11 concentric rings, five of
which, interposed at regular intervals, depict patterns of figures and animals... The lowest contain
the forefronts of elephants, their trunks intertwined, as many as a 150 of these in close ranks. A
few mouldings above is another border representing images in nich s, also repeated many times,
and again over that a similar course of dancing figures. This is followed higher up in the concavity
by a series of horsemen, finishing in the topmost storey with more figures engaged in an endless
dance. Between these various figured courses are ornamental repeats, gradually becoming more
pronounced until towards the apex they culminate in a grouping of pendants not like festoons of
foliage suspended from the high trees of a forest." Superimposed upon all this, athwart the outer
concentric rings, are 16 brackets that easily catch the eye. Each of these is a female figure,
representing a Vidyadevi, or goddess of knowledge.

Other Temple Attractions

There are two other temples in the complex, dedicated to
Parshavantha and Adinatha. The Chaumukha temple, built in
1459, is the tallest and is notable for its pillared mandapa
(hall). The Sri Risha Deoji temple is unfinished and has a
huge 4.3 ton brass statue of a saint made of panchadhatu
(five metals - gold, silver, brass, copper and zinc).

Exquisite Temple Carvings

The major key attraction of

the Dilwara Temple is heavily
intricated carving done on
ceiling. The ceiling is
projected downwards to
interpret the hanging torana.

Perhaps the most outstanding feature of Jain temple architecture is its carvings. and that is an understatement.
Wherever one looks, be it pillars, ceilings, walls and floors, Jain temples go to the extreme - and beyond it - when it
comes to adorning their temples with the very stone they work with. Jain mythology, saints, gods and goddesses, monks,
devotees or just good old religious motifs all find their way in a spectacular rendezvous in marble and rock. Each nook
and corner of Jain temples are so diligently carved that it is a wonder that the edifice was created out of plain stone.
Carving is perhaps not the right word for Jain temples - chiselling would be more appropriate. Their fragile delicacy
merged with an architectural lexicon is what constitues the basis of these amazing temples. Simply put, there is not an
inch where one can place his hand and not encounter a spectacular frieze.