VI
EN
There are approximately 4.2 million followers of this religion in India and around 6 to 12 million worldwide. Jain temples are called Derasar or Mandir. The temples are usually made of marble.
1. Lal Mandir
Shri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir is the oldest and most famous Jain temple in Delhi. Built in 1526, the temple has undergone several renovations and was expanded in the early 19th century. It is constructed of red sandstone.
2. Sonagiri
The small town of Sonagiri is nestled on a hill in central India. To reach it, tourists and pilgrims must walk barefoot and climb 300 steps. There are many white temples scattered around the hill.
3. The temples at Khajuraho
Khajuraho is one of the most popular tourist villages in India. It boasts numerous Hindu and Jain temples with unique architecture. These temples were built and expanded over a period of 200 years, from 950 to 1150. During the Chandella dynasty, Khajuraho was the central home of a large Jain community. Jains lived in the eastern part of the city.
4. Gomateshwara Shrine
Gomateshwara was the second son of Adinatha, the first of the 24 Tirthankara (the first mortals to attain enlightenment). The Gomateshwara statue, standing at 17.38 meters tall, is one of the largest monolithic statues in the world. It was sculpted around 983 AD by Chavundaraya, a minister of the Ganga Kingdom. Every twelve years, the Mahamastakabhisheka festival is held, and the statue is bathed in milk, curd, buffalo butter, saffron, and gold coins.
5. Dilwara Temples
Located near the summit of Abu, the Dilwara temple complex is world-renowned for its marble paving. Marble is used throughout: ceilings, doorways, and pillars. There are five Jain temples here, each with its own unique architecture and named after the village where it was built. All of these temples were constructed during the Chalukya dynasty, approximately between the 11th and 13th centuries.
6. Palitana
The city of Palitana is a Jain pilgrimage center. The Palitana temples are considered the holiest sites of the Jain religion. There are several hundred temples at the summit of Shatrunjaya, built of marble. They were constructed over a period of 900 years, from the 11th century onwards, by followers of the Jain religion.
7. Ranakpur Temple
The temple is supported by 1444 marble pillars, each intricately and detailedly carved. Each pillar is uniquely carved, with no two alike. While the exact time of its construction remains debated, it is generally believed to have been built between the late 14th and mid-15th centuries.
