Friday, January 07, 2011

Incredible India - Rajasthan Route : Ranakpur

Today we visit Ranakpur before going to Udaipur.

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, in a valley on the western side of the Aravalli Range. Ranakpur is easily accessed by road from Udaipur.



A small temple built near the main temple.




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 1444 marble pillars, carved in exquisite detail, support the temple. The pillars are all differently carved and no two pillars are the same. It is also said that it is impossible to count the pillars. Also all the statues face one or the other statue. There is one beautiful carving made out of a single marble rock where there 108 heads of snakes and numerous tails. One cannot find the end of the tails. The image faces all four cardinal directions. In the axis of the main entrance, on the western side, is the largest image.

The temple is designed as chaumukha—with four faces. The construction of the temple and quadrupled image symbolize the Tirthankara's conquest of the four cardinal directions and hence the cosmos.



Temple facade


Beautiful temple pillars


It has 1444 carved milk-white marble pillars - everyone is unique.


Ceiling Details





A marble rock where there are 108 heads of snakes.




We then drive further to Udaipur where the driver will leave us here and go back to Delhi.



Our room at Dream Heaven Hostel.



Udaipur View at night from our balcony.

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