Climate & Geogaphical Location

Ranakpur is very hot and dry in summer and extremely cold in winter. It lies around 96 km from Udaipur at an altitude of 237 meters.

Ranakpur is blessed with a very pleasant climate. It is a tropical type of climate facilitating the tourists to visit throughout the years. The maximum mercury reading goes to 42 degree Celsius and minimum reading to 11 degree Celsius. Considering all factors the period between October to March is the best time to visit this place.

Ranakpur has one of the most spectacularly carved Jain Temple in India. Spread over 48,000 sq. ft. this temple stands on over 1,444 intricately carved pillars, and if you observe carefully, no two pillars are alike! Believed to be built in the 15th Century, this temple offers an engrossing sight of beautifully carved cupolas, shikhara and turrets.

Ranakpur is a small village located in Pali District of Rajasthan which is at a distance of approximately 80kms from Udaipur  . Most tourists visit Ranakpur en-route Udaipur from Jodhpur .

SITES NEARBY
Kumbhalgarh is a historical site around 30 km northeast of Ranakpur. It is the most important fort in the Mewar region after Chittaurgarh. The other important place to visit in Kumbhalgarh is a wildlife sanctuary known for its wolves.

Sadri, eight km away, is famous for some beautiful temples and an old dargah of Khudabaksh Baba. The Varahavtar temple and the Chintamani Parsvanath temple are the oldest of the temples situated here.

Three temples, dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Hanuman and Navi Mata are among some noteworthy temples at Desuri around 16 km from Ranakpur. An old mosque situated here is also worth a visit. A temple dedicated to Parsuram Mahadeo, nestled in the hills, is also close by.

Another nearby place, Ghanerao, abounds in Hindu temples. Most notable is the temple of Gajanand with a life-size statue of the goddesses Riddhi and Siddhi. The statue in the main shrine is guarded by idols of Hanuman and Bhairon on either side.

The Muchhal Mahavir temple is situated about five km from Ghanerao in the Kumbhalgarh Sanctuary. Its distinctive feature is the statue of Lord Mahavira with a mustache. The two statues of elephants guarding the gateways are splendid examples of temple decoration. In the vicinity are the Garasia tribal villages famous for their colorful costumes.

Mount Abu      189KMS         
Udaipur           292KMS

By Road: There are frequent express buses from Udaipur that take around three hours to reach Ranakpur. State transport corporation buses as well as private buses connect Udaipur to other cities in the region. Major destinations that are connected to Udaipur are Jaipur, Ajmer, Kota/Bundi, Jodhpur, Chittaurgarh, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Mumbai, Delhi, Indore, and Mt Abu

By Rail: The nearest major railway station is Udaipur. There are trains for Delhi, Chittaurgarh, Ajmer, and Jaipur from this station. The nearest railway station from Ranakpur is Phalna but most of the tourists prefer going to Udaipur to catch a train as it offers more choice.

By Air: The nearest airport is Udaipur 60 km south of Ranakpur. There are regular flights to Delhi, Jaipur, Aurangabad, Jodhpur, and Mumbai from Udaipur.

Two temples, dedicated to the Jain saints Parshavanath and Neminath, face the main temple. The temples have beautiful carvings similar to that of Khajuraho. Another temple worth visiting is the nearby Sun temple, an 8th century AD temple dedicated to the Sun god. The temple has polygonal walls, richly embellished with carvings of warriors, horses and solar deities riding splendid chariots. It speaks of a rich legacy in temple architecture.

History of Jain Temple, Ranakpur:
According to important historical facts the Ranakpur Jain Temple was built during the period of Rana Kumbha, the then most gifted and benevolent Rajput monarch. The construction of the temple took place in 15th century.

Description of Jain Temple, Ranakpur:
The Jain temple in Ranakpur is located within sturdy walls. The main shrine is called ‘Chamukha’ which is consecrated to the trithankara Rishabdeoji. The image at this shrine has four faces and is located in the inner sanctum which is open from all the four corners. The Ranakpur Jain Temple has a very extensive basement that extends to 48,000 sq. feet. There are four secondary shrines also that have vast halls with 24 pillars and 8 domes. These structures are again supported by more than 400 columns. In total there are 1444 columns in the temple that are intricately and exquisitely carved out.

These apart, at the Jain temple in Ranakpur tirthankara images perched on the spires or shikhars can also be seen. Each spire has a tiny bell hanging atop and creates a magical tune when soft breeze blows. Besides, there is a small shrine consecrated to Prashvanath facing main temple. A black image of the tirthankara is housed in this shrine. Besides in this Jain temple images of Adinath in the north west, Ajitnath in the south-east, Lord Mahavir Swami in the south west and Parshvanath in the north east are also housed. In the assembly hall of the temple two big bells weighing 108 kg are also stored. This apart, the beautiful engraved images of the nymphs playing flute in different dance postures can also be seen.

The Jain pilgrimage of Ranakpur is a major draw for the tourists all over the world. The Jain temples display a fantastic union of Hindu and Jain architectural style.

But Ranakpur is a small village and there is not much opportunity for shopping in Ranakpur. But, if you were a passionate shopper, returning from a tour to Ranakpur without shopping in Ranakpur may sound quite impossible. 

The Jain temples at Ranakpur are within an enclosure which has been treated as a garden. The complex is also of interest to gardeners on account of the 600 year-old Sacred Tree in the main temple courtyard. Jain temples are renowned for the sensitivity with which they are designed in relation to the surrounding landscape. Jainism does not include a belief in a supreme being or creator: it sees the natural world as governed by laws based on the interplay of attributes (gunas) of the substances (dravyas) which comprise the cosmos. Jainism teaches that nature is Interdependendent - so that if one does not care for nature one does not care for oneself. This principle is represented by the visual harmony between the Ranakpur temples and their setting.

Climate-wise Ranakpur remains hot during the summers and the mercury often touches 42 degrees Celsius and during the winter season the temperature can touch down to 10 degree Celsius. The rainy season begins from July and lasts till the midst of September with about 90 percent humidity in the air.

The Ranakpur Jain Temple was built during the reign of the liberal and gifted Rajput monarch Rana Kumbha in the 15th century. The basement is of 48,000 sq. feet area that covers the whole complex.
   
There are four subsidiary shrines, twenty-four pillared halls and domes supported by over four hundred columns. The total number of columns is 1,444 all of which are intricately carved with no two being alike. The artistically carved nymphs playing the flute in various dance postures at a height of 45 feet are an interesting sight. In the assembly hall, there are two big bells weighing 108 kg whose sound echoes in the entire complex. The main temple is a Chaumukh or a four-faced temple dedicated to Adinath.

The three other Jain temples in the same complex, including a temple of the Sun God, are all well worth a visit. One kilometer away from the temple complex is the temple of Amba Mata.

As Ranakpur is a religious place, one must take care that the religious sentiments of the devotees is not hurt. One should inquire about the local customs and practices before indulging in activities like drinking, gambling, or eating non-vegetarian food.