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Temples/ Pilgrimages/ Places of worship in
Rajasthan |
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 Birla Mandir
Location
Jaipur, Rajasthan Birla Mandir or the Lakshmi -
Narayan Temple, situated just below the Mooti Doongari, which is a replica
of a Scottish castle, is one of the most revered Hindu temples, dedicated
to Shri Lakshmi-Narayan.
Built on raised ground, it is surrounded by large lush green gardens. The
temple has been constructed in white marble and has three domes, each
portraying the different approaches to religion. Eklingji Temple Eklingji
Temple is located about twelve miles to the North of Udaipur in Rajasthan.
This deity was regarded as the pragmatic ruler by the Maharajas of Mewar -
who considered themselves to be regents (Dewans) under Eklingji. A
beautiful town, Eklingji attracts thousands of visitors throughout the
year. This temple is said to have been founded by Acharya Viswaroopa a
contemporary of Adi Sankaracharya and is linked with the Sharada Math at
Dwaraka founded again by Adi Sankaracharya.
The temple occupies an area of about 2500 sq. feet and is about 65 feet in
height. The temple area is fortified and a strong wall runs around it. The
main entrance to the temple on the Western side welcomes visitors into a
big hall resting on profusely carved pillars. In this hall, is a silver
image of Nandi. There are two more Nandis in the temple, one made of black
stone and the other of brass.
Other deities housed in the temple complex include Parvati, Ganesh, Ganga,
Kartikeya, Yamuna and Saraswathi. There are also small temples dedicated
to Ambamata, Kalka Mata and Ganesh in the temple complex. There is another
temple called Nathon Ka Mandir in the temple complex with inscriptions
dating back to the 10th century CE. No worship is offered here.
Ossian Temples
Ossian is located at the edge of the Thar Desert, 65 kms north west of
Jodhpur. The temples here are among the earliest of all medieval temples
of Rajasthan. Ruins of several temples dot the present day Ossian. The
earlier temples are almost like miniature shrines, some only eight feet in
height. Among these intricately carved red sandstone edifices, three are
dedicated to Harihara- or the union of Vishnu and Shiva. Profusely carved
from their raising plinths, pillars and right upto the very pinnacle of
the spires, these temples are considered architectural masterpieces even
by foreign scholars such as Percy Brown, James Burgess and Herman Goetz.
Among the oldest group of temples stands the Sun Temple, which was built
in 10th century. They are often compared to the carvings of the Sun Temple
of Konark. According to records , right in the middle of the town stood
another magnificent Sun temple. This, and a score other beautiful shrines
were subsequently destroyed during the Turkish and Afghan invasions of
India. Out of the more than 100 temples this town once had, barely 16
stand today. Even these have been ravaged by time.
Although majority of the temples at Ossian have decayed with time and have
even lost images of their deities- the one temple that remains vibrant is
the shrine of Sachiyamata on a nearby hillock. Built in 1234 AD, this
temple was dedicated to Durga or Mahisasura Mardini. Today it has become a
very important shrine for Jains. Govind Devji Temple
Located in the central pavilion of the elaborate sprawling Jai Niwas
Garden, to the north of the magnificent Chandra Mahal, is the miniature
temple of Lord Krishna. The idol of Shri Krishna, originally kept in a
temple in Vrindavan, was installed here by Sawai Jai Singh II, as the
ruling deity of his family.
Sri Govinddevji, the family deity of Amber's Kachawaha Dynasty, now dwells
in Jaipur, along with his consort Radha. The image, nevertheless, earlier
existed in Vrindaban, where the Lord resided in the great temple built for
him by Raja Mansingh, which was consecrated in 1590 AD.
Dilwara Jain Temples The exquisitely
carved marble temples of Dilawara in Mount Abu are the finest examples of
Jain temples in India. The hallmark of these temples is the crisp
translucent shell-like treatment of marble, which surpasses anything seen
elsewhere.
No matter how much one hears or reads about these temples, nothing can
prepare one for the sheer elegance and beauty of marble as displayed here.
These temples were dedicated to their saints known as the tirthankars and
also served as storehouses of illustrated manuscripts and treatises.
The period from AD 800 to 1200 was one of great social awakening and
religious fervor among the people of this region. Jainism (an ancient
Indian religion that originated in 600 BC) found its firm foundation in
Rajasthan. With matrimonial alliances between Mughal and Rajput rulers and
a liberal policy towards Hindus adopted by the great Mughal Akbar, this
was a period of tranquility in most parts of Rajasthan. Old Hindu shrines
were renovated and new ones including the temples of Ranakpur and Dilwara,
were built during this period. Brahma Temple - Pushkar
This is the only existing temple dedicated to lord Brahma and was
constructed in the 14th century, standing on a high plinth with marble
steps leading up to it.
A beautiful carved silver turtle sits on the floor facing the sanctorum or
Garbha Griha. The marble floor around the silver turtle is embedded with
hundreds of silver coins, with donors name engraved on them. Jain Temple - Ranakpur
60 km from Udaipur, and in a remote and peaceful valley
of the Aravalli range stands one of the biggest and most important Jain
temples in India- the Ranakpur complex. It is extremely beautiful. The
main temple is the Chaumukha Temple, of 4 faced temple, dedicated to
Adinath. It was built in 1439, beautifully crafted. The marble temple has
29 halls supported by 1,444 pillars, no two of them alike.
Within the complex are two other Jain temples to Neminath and Parasnath
and, a little distance away, a Sun Temple. One km from the main complex is
the Amba Mata temple. The temple is open from noon to 5 pm.
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