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RANAKPUR : A glimpse
BALL
anakpur is a place of homage for Jainism and a unique example of Indian architecture. Thousands of visitors who throng the temple to have a view of the art can not help but exclaim at the very first sight - Great! Incomparable !! Unparalleled !!!
In this huge temple, art is at its best on every inch; on every side there is the wonder of craftsmanship and the miracle of chisel. This land had the good fortune of being blessed by the supreme-being, the supreme-soul Shri Rishabhdev. Under his sacred influence, the pilgrimage extensively flourished and remained intact from the foundation to the top despite the upheavals of time. This Ranakpur pilgrimage, establi-shed amidst natural beauty, is the nucleus of Indian art.
Situated amidst the hills of the Aravali range, this pilgrimage is at a distance of 90 km. from Udaipur, and 33 km. from Phalna railway station. Standing amidst the natural beauty of unsculptured stones, the architecture of this temple is explicit in its splendour. This pilgrimage bears witness to how advanced was our Indian architecture, how skilled were our sculptors and how they animated the stones. On viewing the sculpturally rich domes and columns, one feels they are the diamonds studded in the ring of Indian architecture. Just on entering the temple we feel as if we have ascended to the land of the gods.
From an inscription on a column standing at the side of the entrance to the main shrine we come to know that Mahamantri Dharnashah is the chief founder and Depa is the art-director of this pilgrimage which expresses a synthesis of architecture and spiritualism. The name of Rana Kumbha has also been respectfully mentioned in the inscription which informs us that Rana Kumbha, a patron of art and architecture, had also contributed to the construction of this temple.
It is believed that Dharnashah lived in a village called Nandia, in the vicinity of Ranakpur. He was a minister of Rana Kumbha of Mewar.
Dharnashah wished to build such a temple of the first Tirthankar, Lord Adinath, as would be unique in itself. Ranakpur is the fulfilment of that very wish. He decided to make the design of the temple just like the divine Vimaan (aeroplane) named 'Nalini Gulm' which he had seen in his dream.
PARSHWNATH TEMPLE : A portion of columns
THE ELEPHANT KING : Saluting the devotees
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