The
Jain temples at Dilwara, near Mount Abu are considered to be
masterpieces of temple architecture
These
are the main temples in Dilwara
- The Vimal Vashi temple
- The Luna Vashi temple
- The Adinath temple
- The Parshvanath temple
The Vimalvashi temple was built by the commander Vimalshah on the
order of King Bhimdev in 1031 A.D.
It took around 1,500
workers, several years to build. There are forty eight pillars, sixteen
pillars have the images of females figures in dancing poses.
The
rang mandap is a beautiful piece of architecture.
The images
that can be seen are Saraswati, Lakshmi as well as scenes from the
princely courts of Ayodhya and Takshashila.
Navchauki is a
platform divided into nine parts. The artistic roots are decorated with
elephants and goddesses.
Lunvasahi temple has the image of the
Jain tirthankara Neminath. Sculptures in stone, elaborate carvings,
beautiful pillars, dome shaped roofs give a majestic and surreal look to
the temple.
There are sixteen images of the goddess of knowdege
and also carved are glimpses from Lord Krishnas life. The footsteps of
Dada Sahab and the kirti Stambha are also worth a mention.
Apart
from these, the temples dedicated to Rishabhdev, Parshvanath and Lord
Mahavir are also classical examples of art.
Mount Abu, where
the Dilwara temples are located, is referred to as Arbudgiri in ancient
Hindu and Jain scriptures and is the only hill-station in Rajasthan as
well as a very important Jain pilgrimage center.
