The Dilwara temple in Mount Abu, Rajasthan is a group of five temples- Vimal Vasahi temple, Luna Vasahi temple, Pittalhar temple, Parshvanath temple, and Mahavir Swami temple.
These temples were built during the 11th and 13th century. The group of Dilwara temples is one of the most beautiful Jain pilgrimage sites in the world.
Dilwara temple architecture
The temples are the marble structures with intricate carvings. Everything inside the temple- the ceilings, doors, panels, pillars, etc are minutely carved. The architectural details of the temple are simply marvelous.
Each temple in the Dilwara group of temple is dedicated to the Jain Tirthankaras. The Tirthankaras are the religious teachers of the Jain community.
Vimal Vasahi temple
This temple is dedicated to the first Jain tirthankara- Rishabh. The remarkable features in the Vimal Vasahi temple are-
- The Nav Chowki, which is a collection of nine decorated ceilings
- The Gudh Mandap, which is a hall of prayers. An ornate doorway leads to the hall.
- The Hasti Shala, an elephant courtyard with the sculptures of elephants and the owners riding them.
Luna Vasahi temple
This temple is dedicated to Lord Neminath. The remarkable feature of this temple is the giant central dome with a hanging pendant. This pendant adds to the beauty of the architecture.
Pittalhar temple
People call this temple pittalhar temple because the main shrine is made of pittal (brass). When you visit the pittalhar temple, see the Rang Mandap. Different artists used to perform at the Rang Mandap at that time.
Parshvanath temple
This temple is dedicated to Lord Parshvanath. The Parshvanath temple is the tallest in the Dilwara group of temples. The outer walls of this temple have the decorations of grey sandstone sculptures.
Mahavir Swami temple
This is a temple dedicated to Lord Mahavir. The walls have paintings depicting the life of Mahavir Swami.
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