Famous Temples in India

Architecture

Girnar is one of two hills venerated by the Jain community of India. Girnar rises to a height of more than 600 meters, its five peaks crowned by 16 carved and sculptured marble shrines that embellish this illustrious hilltop temple city. Girnar is the famous pilgrimage center for both Jains and Hindus and has been considered sacred since the 3rd century B.C. Girnar was anciently called Raivata or Ujjayanta, sacred amongst the Jains to Neminath, the 22nd Tirthankar, and a place of pilgrimage before 250 BCE. Situated on the first plateau of Mount Girnar at the height of about 3800 steps, at an altitude of 2370 ft above Junagadh, still some 600 ft below the first summit of Girnar, there are Jain temples with marvelous carvings in marble. Some 16 Jain temples here form a sort of fort on the ledge at the top of the great cliff. These temples are along the west face of the hill, and are all enclosed. According to Jain religious beliefs, Neminath, the 22nd Tirthankara Neminath became an ascetic after he saw the slaughter of animals for a feast on his wedding. He renounced all worldly pleasures and came to Mount Girnar to attain salvation. He attained omniscience and Moksha (died) on the Mount Girnar. His bride-to-be Rajulmati also renounced and became a nun.

Neminath Temple - The Neminath temple is the largest temple of the group standing in a quadrangular court 195 x 130 feet. There is an inscription on one of the pillars of the mandapa stating that it was repaired in 1278 C.E. It consists of two Rangamandapa halls with two porches and a central shrine (Gudhamandapa), which contains a large black image of Neminath sitting in the lotus position holding a conch in his palm. The principal hall in front of the central shrine measures across from door to door inside 41' 7" x 44' 7" from the shrine door to that leading out at the west end. The roof is supported by 22 square columns of granite coated with white lime while the floor is of tessellated marble. The principal hall in front of the central shrine measures across from door to door inside 41' 7" x 44' 7" from the shrine door to that leading out at the west end. The roof is supported by 22 square columns of granite coated with white lime while the floor is of tessellated marble. Round the central shrine is a circumambulatory passage (pradakshina) with many images in white marble including that of a Ganesha and a Chovishi or slab of the twenty-four Tirthankara. Between the outer and inner halls are two shrines. The outer hall measures 38' x 21' 3". The outer hall has two small raised platforms paved with slabs of yellow stone, covered with representations of feet in pairs called padukas, which represent the 2452 feet of the Gandharas, first disciples of Tirthankaras.

On the west of this is a closed entrance with a porch overhanging the perpendicular scarp of the hill. On two of the pillars of the mandapa are inscriptions dated 1275, 1281, and 1278  dates of restoration. The enclosure in which these Rangamandapas and the central shrine are situated is nearly surrounded inside by 70 little cells, each enshrining a marble image on a bench, with a covered passage running round in front of them lighted by a perforated stone screen. The principal entrance was originally on the east side of the court but it is now closed and the entrance from the south side of the court in Khengar's Palace is that now used.

On the south side, there is a passage leading into a low dark temple, with granite pillars in lines. Opposite the entrance is a recess containing two large black images, in the back of the recess is a lion rampant, and over it a crocodile in bas-relief. Behind these figures is a room from which is a descent into a cave, with a large white marble image which is mostly concealed. It has a slight hollow in the shoulder, said to be caused by water dropping from the ear, whence it was called Amijhara ("nectar drop"). There are few shrines in the court dedicated to Jain monks. In the North porch are inscriptions which state that in Samwat 1215 certain Thakurs completed the shrine, and built the Temple of Ambika.

Mallinath Temple - There are almost 8,000 steps located from the starting point of the first peak to the very last shrine. The temple complex contains open space, courtyards, and several other minor temples. The temple roofs are inscribed with Goddesses in a dancing form.

Adabadji Adinatha Temple - There are three temples to the left of the passage from the north porch of the Neminath temple. Of them, the temple on the south contains a colossal image of Adinatha, the first Tirthankar, exactly like that at Palitana temples.

Panchmeru Temple - On the north, opposite the Adabadji temple, there is Panchabai's or Panchmeru temple which was built in VS 1859. This temple contains five sikhars or spires each enshrining quadruple images.

Meraka-Vasahi Temple - West of Panchmeru temple, there is a large temple. The east facing temple has 52 small shrines surrounding the central temple. It has an open portico with ceilings with fine carvings. In the bhamti or cloisters surrounding the court, there are also some remarkable designs in carved ceilings. The roof of the rangamandapa has fine carvings. The shrine proper must have been removed and replaced with a new one at the end of the sixteenth century or the start of the seventeenth century. 

Sangram Soni's Temple - The original temple on the site was Kalyanatraya temple dedicated to Neminatha built by Tejapala, brother of Vastupala. The temple is now mistakenly known as Sangram Soni's temple. It was repaired by Premabhai Hemabhai about 1843. It contains a large white marble figure of Parswanatha bearing the date 1803 C.E with the polysepalous cobra over him whence he is styled Seshphani.

Kumarapala's Temple - The last temple to the north is known as the Kumarapala's temple which is falsely attributed to 12th century Chaulukya king Kumarapala. The temple is west facing, the original temple had 72 shrines surrounding the central temple which no longer exist. The central temple has a modern long open portico supported by twenty four columns. The mandapa and shrine are small and the ceilings and architraves are restored. The mandapa with its beautiful pendentive and the pillars and lintels of the portico. The shrine contains three images in the middle Abhinandana Swami dedicated in 1838 and on either side Adinatha and Sambhavanatha dated 1791.

Mansingha Bhojaraja Temple - To the east of the Devakota, there are several temples and this temple is entirely built-in Granite.

Vastupala-Vihara Temple - Vastupala-Vihara is a triple temple, the central fane measuring 53 feet by 29​1⁄2 has two domes and finely carved but much mutilated and the shrine which is 13 feet square with a large niche or gokhla on the left side contains an image of Mallinatha. Beneath the image is the inscription mentioning Vastupala and his family members. On either side of this central temple, there is a large hall about 38 feet 6 inches from door to door containing a remarkable solid pile of masonry called a Samovasarana that on the north side named Sumeru having a square base and the other Sameta Sikhara with a nearly circular one. Each rises in four tiers of diminishing width almost to the roof and is surmounted by a small square canopy over images. The upper tiers are reached by steps arranged for the purpose. On the outside of the shrine, there are three small niches in which images have been placed and there are stone ladders up to the niches to enable the pujaris to reach them. There are six large inscriptions of Vastupala in the temple dated VS 1288.

Samprati Raja Temple - Farther north of the Vastupala-vihara, the Samprati Raja temple is situated. It is built against the side of a cliff and is ascended to by a stair. Inside the entrance, there is another very steep flight of steps in the porch leading up to a large mandapa to the east of which is added a second mandapa and a gambhara.

Tanks - Outside to the north of the Kumarapala's temple, there is the Bhima Kunda, a tank measuring 70 feet by 50 feet. Below it and on the verge of the cliff is a smaller tank of water and near it a small canopy supported by three roughly hewn pillars and a piece of rock containing a short octagonal stone called Hathi pagla or Gajapada, the elephant foot, a stratum on the top of which is of light granite and the rest of dark the lower part is immersed in water most of the year.

See below for five tonks on the Girnar Hill

First Tonk - In the first tonk, one can see Digamabar Jain temple and a cave called Rajulmati cave. There is also a small temple, in which one can see an idol of Bhagwan Bahubali (120 cms) in standing posture.

Second Tonk - After passing 900 steps from the first is the second tonk that showcases Muni Anirudhhkumat footprints and temple of Devi Ambika.

Third Tonk - In the third tonk, footprints of Muni Sambukkumar are installed. Muni Sambukkumar has attained nirvana from this place.

Fourth Tonk - The tonk is known for the fact that the footprints of Pradhyman Kumar-son of Lord Krishna are installed here. He attained nirvana from this place.

Fifth Tonk - The Fifth tonk is sacred to devotees for Lord Neminath's footprints. Lord Neminath, the 22nd tirthankar got moksha from this site.