Most Popular Jain Temples in India for the Believers of Jainism

India is a melting pot of several beautiful cultures, religions and traditions. Among various religions followed by Indians, Jainism is also one of them. It is an ancient religious faith of the country that teaches the way of freedom and bliss while living a life of harmlessness and sacredness. To celebrate this pious religion of India, many Jain temples have been built across the country. These temples are not only known for religious importance but also boast of architectures that are simply unparalleled. There is a lot of Jain temples located at the diverse locations of country. Some of the famous Jain temples in India that every tourist should visit are mentioned below.

Dilwara Jain Temple, Rajasthan

Dilwara Jain Temples is a beautiful temple dedicated to the followers of Jainism. It is situated at the only hill station of Rajasthan - Mount Abu. Famous in the entire world for its unique and amazing structure, the temple turns into one of the most striking pilgrimage site for the Jain in India. This brilliantly carved Dilwara Temples are supposed to have been constructed during the 12th century. Interior of this pilgrimage site has intricate and remarkable carvings over marble that capture the attention of its visitors. Its hall has a 360 miniature statues of Jain Tirthankaras.

Khajuraho Temples (Shantinath), Madhya Pradesh

This amazing UNESCO World Heritage Site has been popular for its erotic statues that embellish most of its temples. However, the town also has a number of Jain temples, which were built more than thousand years ago. These Jain temples are situated in the eastern part of the town and are great illustration of medieval Indian Architecture. Among these Jain temples, Shantinath Temple is the famous one. Shantinath Jain Temple is one among the seven Jain temples of the 16th century built inside the Golden Fort. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shantinath.

Kulpakji Temple, Telangana

Also known as Kolanupaka Temple, Kulpakji is a 10th century Jain temple at Kolanupaka village of Nalgonda district of the state of Telangana in India. It is an important pilgrimage for Shwetambara Jain and features a beautiful architecture. The temple features three idols of various Tirthankars, including Lord Rishabhanatha, Lord Neminatha and Lord Mahavira. The idol of Lord Rishabhanatha is carved out a green stone and has been traditionally well-known as ‘Manikyaswami’.

Ranakpur Temple, Rajasthan

Situated in the Pali district of Rajasthan, Ranakpur is positioned between two beautiful cities of Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Udaipur. This elaborate marble temple of Ranakpur was constructed duri9ng 14th and 15th century. It is the most stunning Jain temple in India and a major pilgrimage center of the Jain. The temple appears from the hill at three levels and is supported by around 1,444 beautifully carved marble pillars. All the detailed carvings in this gorgeous temple are distinct, including one single marble rock having 108 heads of snakes and a tangle of tails. This temple is supposed to be an awesome example of devotion and craftsmanship and is surely worth paying a visit.

Palitana Temple, Gujarat

Situated on Shatrunjaya hill by the city of Palitana in the Bhavnagar district of Gujarat, Palitana is one of the most sanctified Jain temple complexes. The temple is one of the most visited tourist attractions of Gujarat visited by foreign tourists. Temples of Palitana are dedicated to Rishabhdev, who is also known as Adinath - the first of the Jain Tirthankaras. The temple complex has more than 3,000 fiercely carved temples built over the generations from the 11th century. This is an admired pilgrimage site that features more than 3,800 stone steps. Climbing to this temple is really difficult.

Gomateshwara Temple, Karnataka

Situated in the town of Shravanabelagola of the Karnataka state of India, Gomateshwara Jain Temple features a huge black granite statue of Gomateshwara - the first Tirthankara. The statue is 18 meters tall and a Jain Festival is organized on every 12 years. The statue is showered with milk and saffron paste and paste of turmeric, sandalwood and vermillion is applied. This is a must visit pilgrimage site for the Jain pilgrims and popular tourist attraction for all.

Dharmanath Jains Temple, Kerala

Sited at Mattancherry in the western division of Kochi city, Dharmanath Jain Temple is dedicated to the 15th Jain Tirthankar of Dharmnath. Established in the year 1960, the temple complex is spread over a huge area with different blocks created for prayers and as places for worshiping. Architecture of this temple is inspired from the Jain temples of the Gujarat state of India. The construction of this temple was completed in more than 100 years and it recently got the ‘teerth’ status. This temple is built using marbles and features many beautiful carved structures in the temple. The temple is open for all without any discrimination.