Famous Temples in India

Architecture

Jai Singh built the Kalki temple right opposite the eastern entrance to the City Palace. The location of the temple was important but still it was not given a prime position in the street. The temple was built behind the street of impressive buildings. The temple can be entered through a ceremonial archway in two easy slopes through a ramp way rather than a staircase that opens at the street. The temple is built over a 20 ft high plinth. There is a ramp within the temple complex leading up to the temple. A canopied kiosk in one corner contains the fine marble statue of a horse facing the temple, which is supposedly the mount of Kalki. The ramps are probably constructed to facilitate the horse to climb up and down easily. Historians also believe that Jai Singh was the last Hindu ruler to have performed Ashwamedha Yajna, an ancient Vedic rite and the horse was sculpted to commemorate the event.

The temple is constructed of stone in typical style of temple architecture of North India. The only exceptional feature in the temple is that it has two sikhars instead of one. The smaller sikhar at the back is called the Lakshmi Niwas, the abode of Goddess Lakshmi. It was constructed to build the idol of Padmawati Devi. The statue, however, is kept with that of Kalki under the main sikhar. The temple is built  of big stone blocks where the statues are seated in the Garbhgrah. The Singhdwar or entry of Temple is some steps above the ground with big stone blocks. After the Singhdwar is the Mandapa or sitting hall for devotees covered with huge Shikhar or dome. Just outside the temple is a plinth which makes this temple more mysterious than any other temple. The plinth is for statue of Devdutta horse. Devdutta is the horse of Kalki God. The statue is made of white marble. The rear left leg of Devdutta bears a crack which devotees say is a wound and it is said that once the wound is healed completely Kalki God will incarnate to end Kalyuga.