Ranakpur Jain Temple : A Visual Spectacle

Jain temples in India , have been spectacular, especially the Ancient ones built a few hundred or few thousand years before.

Every Jain temple has a unique pattern , Deravasi Shwetambar jains and the Digambar jains have different patterns in the internal architecture as well as the idol pattern.

Ranakpur jain temple is a place of worship for the Shwetambar Deravasi murtipujak jains.

Ranakpur is a village located in Desuri tehsil near Sadri town in the Pali district of Rajasthan in western India. It is located between Jodhpur and Udaipur. 165 kms from Jodhpur and 90 kms from Udaipur, in a valley on the western side of the Aravalli Range. The Nearest Railway Station to reach Ranakpur is Falna Railway station , which is well connected to all the major cities in India by rail. 

 It is home to one of the biggest and most important Jain temple complexes of India, covering an area of nearly 48,000 square feet area, and has 29 halls, 80 domes and supported by 1444 marble pillars, each of them intricately and artistically carved, yet no two of them are alike.

The Ranakpur Jain Temple was built by a wealthy Jain businessman named Dharma Shah under the patronage of the liberal and gifted Rajput monarch Rana Kumbha in the 15th century.  Dharma Shah had a celestial vision that left in his heart a burning determination to build a temple in honor of Adinath, the founder of the Jain religion. When Dharma Shah approached Rana Kumbha with his plan, the king not only gave him a plot of land to build the temple but also advised him to build a township near the site. The construction of the temple and the township began simultaneously. The town was named Ranakpur after the King Rana Kumbha.

The large complex of the temple houses Chaumukha Adinath temple (First tirthankar Bhagwan Shri Adinath also called as Bhagwan RishabhDev), 23rd Tirthankar Bhagwan Shri Parsvanath temple,22nd Tirthankar Bhagwan Shri Neminath temple, Amba Mataji temple and Lord Surya temple also. Amongst all these, Chaumukha temple, shaped like a Nalinigulm Vimana (Heavenly Aircraft), is a major attraction and is dedicated to the first Tirthankara of Jains Rishabdev, also called Adinath. The Neminath temple honours the 22nd Tirthankara Neminath and the Parsvanath temple, also called 'Patriyon Ka Mandir', is devoted to the 23rd Tirthankara. The Surya temple, dedicated to Sun God, shows an idol of Lord Surya driving his chariot of seven horses.

The temple construction is said to have begun in the year 1446 and the idols were installed in 1496,  after about fifty years of construction. The construction followed for fifteen more years after installing the idols and it took 65 years in total to complete the entire temple construction, which was unprecedented in history.

One might get surprised at the sight of the inscribed nymphs playing flute in different dance poses at a height of 45 feet. Another piece of attraction is a stunning marble piece which has 108 snake-heads and various tails carved into it with such intricacy that it is impossible to find the end of the tails. Apart from this, another amazing fact about these pillars is that their color changes from golden to pale blue as the light falls on them. 


One of the most amazing features of this incredible temple architecture , is that even though in the scorching summer heat outside , there is a sudden drop in temperature as soon as you enter the temple and feel relatively pleasant. 

The marble carvings , the incredible architecture and the serenity of the place will leave you spellbound and awestruck ! 

IT is said that when the Mughal Emperor Akbar went to this temple, he was so mesmerized with the temple's sheer beauty that he engraved his message on one of the pillars. The message says that no one is allowed to destroy this architectural gem under any circumstances. This temple was also nominated among the top seventy seven wonders by the committee designated to elect the Seven Wonders of the World.

Certainly , This is one of the greatest legacies of jainism and the rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan ! If you are a Jain , certainly you will have an amazing time praying and doing sewa-Puja rituals in this magnificient monumental temple. And for others just soak in the extravagance and the splendour of one of the grandest spectacle in the Royal Rajasthan ! 

Haldighati is one nearby places to visit if you plan a tour to Ranakpur. 
Kumbhalgarh is about 14 kms from Ranakpur , Jalore Wildlife Sanctuary is about 77 kms and Udaipur city is 66 kms from Ranakpur. 

I am not posting too many pictures from of the Temple as they are widely available on many websites on the internet. 

Hope you have a great visit !

Jai Jinendra ! Jai Adinath !

Powering up 50 plus adults to #LiveNonStop

 I enjoy travelling to different locations across India for holidays and pilgrimages. Having
 travelled a lot over the last few years, I have had the opportunity to interact with people
 from different walks of life, across all age groups.
 In my post today, I’d like to talk about an important observation that I’ve made during the course of    my travels.

During my pilgrimages to Gujarat and Rajasthan, I’ve met quite a few individuals over the
age of 50 who expressed their dreams of making the journey to places like Vaishnodevi,
 Kailash ,Amarnath, etc. However, they all expressed a sense of discomfort when it came to
 actually undertaking the trip, being fully aware of the level of physical strength and stamina
 that are prerequisites for these journeys.

This got me thinking... why are so many people over 50 so afraid to take up these activities
that involve strength and physical activity? As a Doctor, I put on my medical hat and looked
at this from a nutrition point of view.

These are some of my observations:

Lack of nutritional awareness:

Nutrition is one of the most important issues that need to be addressed to ensure that our
bodies get the proper care they deserve as we age. Identifying and addressing age related
nutritional deficiencies in a timely manner will enable us to #livenonstop.
 However, what is the right diet; which foods will help more than others; and what quantities are needed on a daily basis, are questions that most of the people I spoke to wanted answers to.

Understanding the nutritional gaps:

The general food habits in our country are a key reason for malnourishment seen in older adults.
Consumption of polished grains like rice and wheat, open pan cooking, heating and reheating food
all result in diminished nutrients in our diet. Further, our appetite reduces with age and digestion
slows down making it difficult to absorb nutrients from our food. Thus, those over 50 don’t often
make the transition required to ensure a balanced diet that provides the body with the extra energy
we require when we get older.

Nutrition supplements for the golden years:

Even though health conscious adults make changes like reducing oil consumption or including more
fruits and vegetables in their diets, what the body often needs on a daily basis, is more than what it
gets from our food - especially when it comes to important nutrients like Protein, Iron, Vitamin D
and Fiber. In such a situation the best answer to bridging those nutritional gaps could come in the form of a good, balanced nutritional supplement. This helps ensure a balanced nutrition intake,
delivering all essential nutrients, which is extremely important. This habit can help ensure that
 hitting 50 doesn’t stop us and we can continue to #livenonstop without any worries or diminished
energy levels.

Nutrition & Exercise: A balancing act:

Balanced meals, necessary health supplements, along with moderate physical exercise like yoga and
brisk walking, can ensure that anyone over 50 continues to live a healthy, stress free life. Exercises to
strengthen various joints can address mobility problems people face with age. A healthy body
ensures a healthy mind and a good state of well being.

I must add that when I brought up these points with the people I interacted with on my journeys,
they were met with eager interest. These individuals seemed to comprehend that in order to
#livenonstop and fulfill their dream of making those long arduous journeys without stress, diet and
exercise were things they would need to focus on. I’m glad that my small observations helped them
realize that being healthy is not an end goal; it’s a way of living.

For inspirational stories of living nonstop,   click here .  It includes motivational stories and tips
that will encourage you or your older family member to #livenonstop and inspire them to fulfill their
dreams or life goals.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored in collaboration with Abbott Healthcare Pvt Ltd, but the views

shared in this article are personal.

Disclaimer: Any facts used in this post are meant for education purpose only.