The Dilwara Jain temples in Mount Abu, India were built between the 11th-13th centuries AD and are renowned for their extraordinary marble stone carvings. The temples feature phenomenally ornate carvings that were achieved through the meticulous scraping away of marble to reveal intricate figures. There are five main temples dedicated to different Jain tirthankaras. The Vimal Vasahi and Luna Vasahi temples are particularly praised for their architectural details and ornate carvings that were crafted to an exceptional level of precision and beauty.

1. DILWARA JAIN TEMPLE
DIPEKSHA PATELIA

2. ● Dilwara Jain Temples is one of the finest Jain temple for
its extraordinary architecture and marvelous marble
stone carvings. It seems fairly basic temple from outside
but the temple interior showcases the extraordinary
work of human craftsmanship at its best.
● These temples were built between 11th to 13th century
AD, The ornamental details of marble stone carvings is
phenomenal and unmatched, The minutely carved
ceilings and the pillars are just amazing. All this was
done at a height of 1200+ Mtrs in Mount Abu, Huge
blocks of marble stones were transported on elephant
backs from the Arasoori Hills at Ambaji to this remote
hilly region of Mount Abu. Dilwara temples is also a
popular pilgrimage attraction.
INTRODUCTION

3. ● Dilwara Jain temples built by Chalukya between the 11th and 13th centuries AD and
constructed entirely of white marble. These are domed shrines with pillared halls.
● As Cousense remarks " the amount of beautiful ornamental detail spread over these
temples in the minutely carved decoration of ceiling , pillars, doorways, panels and niches
is extraordinary ; the crisp, thin translucent, shell like treatment of the marble surpasses
anything seen elsewhere, and some of the designs are veritable dreams of beauty. The
Dilwara temples are a composite cluster of 5 temples. Each of these five temples are with
its own unique identity. These five marble temples of Dilwara are a sacred pilgrimage place
of the Jains. Each is named after the small village in which it is located. These are:
● 1. Vimal Vasahi (Shri Adi Nathji temple) dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankar lord Rishabh.
2. Luna Vasahi (Shri Neminathji temple) dedicated to the 22nd Jain Tirthankar lord
Neminatha.
3. Pithalhar (Shri Rishabha Devji temple) dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankar lord Rishabh
4. Khartar Vasahi (Shri Parshva Nathji temple) dedicated to the 23rd Jain Tirthankar lord
Parshva.
5. Mahavir Swami (Shri Mahavir Swamiji temple) dedicated to the 23rd Jain Tirthankar lord
Parshva.
● All these shrines belong to different centuries. The first two are build wholly of white
marble, they have got exuberant carvings and ornamentation work on the walls, doors,
pillars, mandaps, torans, ceilings etc.. The designs depict life stories of Jain Tirthankars,
scenes of Gods and Goddesses and great men from Jain and great Hindu mythology. The
most famous of these are the Vimal Vasahi and Luna Vasahi temples.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE

4. Vimal Vasahi (Shri
Adi Nathji temple)
● Vimal Vasahi Temple was built in 1021 by
Vimal Shah, the minister and commander
in chief of Bhima Dev I, Solanki ruler of
Gujarat.
● It took 1500 artisans and 1200 laborers a
time span of 14 years to build this brilliant
piece of architecture. The whole shrine
covers an area of 140 ft. long and 90 ft.
broad. As we enter the temple we get a
glimpse of the grandeur of sculptured
marble, exquisite carvings of ceilings,
domes, pillars and arches of the temple
which is beyond anyone's expectations. It
has a sanctum, a Gudha Mandap,
Navchowki, Rang Mandap and a
circumambulatory corridor having 57 cells.
In each cell , image of one or the other Jain
Tirthankar is installed. In front of every
cell, double carved roofs are screened by
double arcade of pillars. Cell numbers are
marked and the name of the idol installed
in it is also written.
● The Luna Vashi temple is dedicated to the
22nd Jain Tirthankara Shri Neminathji.
This magnificent temple was built in 1230
by two Porwad brothers - Vastupal and
Tejpal - both ministers of a Virdhaval, the
Vaghela ruler of Gujarat. The temple built
in memory of their late brother Luna was
designed after the Vimal Vashi temple.
The main hall or Rang mandap features a
central dome from which hangs a big
ornamental pendent featuring elaborate
carving. Arranged in a circular band are 72
figures of Tirthankars in sitting posture
and just below this band are 360 small
figures of Jain monks in another circular
band. The Hathishala or elephant cell
features 10 beautiful marble elephants
neatly polished and realistically
modelled.
Luna Vasahi (Shri Nemi Nathji
temple):

5. Pittalhar Temple
● This temple was built by Bhamashah
kavdia of Rajasthan. A massive metal
statue of the first tirthankara, Rishabha
Dev (Adinath), cast in five metals, is
installed in the temple. The main
metal used in this statue is 'Pital'
(brass), hence the name 'Pittalhar'.
The Shrine consists of a main
Garbhagriha, Gudh mandap and
Navchowki. It seems that the
construction of Rangmandap and the
corridor was left unfinished as
probably builder of the temple In
Gudh Mandap on one side, a big
marble Panch-Tirthi sculpture of
Adinath is installed.
● This temple, dedicated to Lord
Parshvanath, was built by Mandlik
and his family in 1458-59 It consists
of a three storied building, the
tallest of all the shrines at Dilwara.
On all the four faces of the sanctum
on the ground floor are four big
mandaps. The outer walls of the
sanctum comprise beautiful
sculptures in gray sandstone,
depicting Dikpals, Vidhyadevis,
Yakshinis, Shalabhanjikas and other
decorative sculptures comparable to
the ones in Khajuraho and Konark.
Parshvanatha Temple
Mahaveer Swami Temple
This is a small structure constructed in 1582 and dedicated to Lord
Mahavira.being small it is a marvellous temple with carvings on its walls.
There are pictures on the upper walls of the porch painted in 1764 by the
artists of sirohi

6. ● In the temples in Mount Abu even chiseling was put aside, and artisans adopted the sedulous task
of thinning the marble into carved images, a worth noticing architectural splendor. This was done
by gently scraping away the surface till a figure eventually emerged, so intricate and fine that it
was intelligibly magnificent. This is the reason why the temples in Mount Abu and Ranakpur are
said to be the finest Jain temples in the world.
● Marvelous Architecture Splendor The architectural vocabulary of the region included
ornamental rendering of flowers and creepers. The portrayal of Yakshini Chakreshwari, the
attendant deity of Adinatha (first Jain saint) is an integral part of the temple. The intricately
sculpted arches here are of two types; one with regular wavy undulations and the other, which is
seen in the Vimala Vasahi, with exaggerated curves. Two of these temples have been singled out
by many experts as outstanding. These are the Vimala Vasahi and Luna Vasahi. This temple,
dedicated to the first Jain tirthankar (fordmaker) Adinatha, involved a work force of 2,700 men
and took a total of 14 years to complete at an exuberant cost, a worth noticing specimen of
architectural splendor. Prithvipala, a descendant of Vimala, is also known to have added to the
magnificent temple in 1150AD. The temple of Vimala is supposed to the oldest and the most
`complete’ example of Jain temple architecture. The rather simple façade hides an amazingly
beautiful interior. The Gateway The entrance to the temple is from the east through a domed
porch which leads to a six-pillared pavilion with a three-tiered smosan (a conventional
representation of the holy mountain of the Jains) in the center. The smosan is surrounded by 10
statues including that of the founder Vimala and his family, each seated on a beautiful elephant
chiseled out of a single block of white marble, about four feet high. These representations are
now badly defaced, having been destroyed by plundering zealots. The Shrine of Jina Adinatha
From the pavilion one passes into a secluded courtyard. Here the temple resolves itself into a
colonnade which forms an open arcade containing the shrine. Seated in the center of this shrine
is the cross-legged seated figure Jina Adinatha, to whom the temple is dedicated. The entire
interior architecture is leniently covered with elaborate carvings, but the splendour of the domed
ceiling of this hall is what sets it apart from all others.
The Methodology of Carving