[Manish Jain]

The Adinath temple is very large. It stands on a basement of 60m x 62m , which looks like a stronghold. On the top of a flight of stairs at the central entrance, there is a three-storied "Balanaka" (entrance hall), which has a domed roof. Its entrance door is rather small in order to defend itself from incursion. Passing through the portals and walking up a dark staircase, there suddenly appears a bright and magnificent space, and the splendor takes our breath away.




The temples are over 500 years old but well preserved. No other place in Rajasthan has the same ambience and setting as that of Ranakpur whose beauty has been emphasized by its isolation. The temples in Ranakpur are quite unique in style and design. The ceilings of the temples are carved with fine, lace-like foliate scrollwork and geometric patterns. The domes are carved in concentric bands and the brackets connecting the base of the dome with the top are covered with figures of deities.

According to a legend, Dharna Sah dreamed of a celestial vehicle. Enchanted by that vision he made a promise to himself and invited architects from all over India to design a temple. Finally he recruited the sculptor Depa who brought to him a draft that suited Dharna Sah's vision. The construction of the main shrine alone took more than 50 years. 

To name the works of architecture that provide us with the closest impression to this temple, it would be Ennis House and Imperial Hotel (in Japan), which were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in his middle period. These two buildings are filled with unique concrete blocks, terra cottas, and tuff stones that are elaborately carved.



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