Bhandasar Jain Temple or Banda Shah Jain temple, is a

Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

located in

Bikaner Bikaner () is a city in the northwest of the state of Rajasthan, India. It is located northwest of the state capital, Jaipur. Bikaner city is the administrative headquarters of Bikaner District and Bikaner division. Formerly the capital of ...

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...

. The temple is famous for wall painting and art work. This temple is protected by the

Archaeological Survey of India The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexande ...

History

This temple was constructed by Bhandasa Oswal in the 12th century. The temple is dedicated to

Sumatinatha Sumatinatha was the fifth Jain Tirthankara of the present age ( Avasarpini). Sumatinatha was born to a Kshatriya King Megha (Megharatha) and Queen Mangalavati (Sumangalavati) at Ayodhya in the Ikshvaku dynasty. His Janma Kalyanak (birthday) was ...

, the 5th

tirthankara In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (Sanskrit: '; English: literally a 'ford-maker') is a saviour and spiritual teacher of the ''dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a '' tirtha'', which is a fordable passag ...

. According to legends, 40,000 Kgs of ghee was used in the construction of this temple instead of water in a mortar.

Architecture

Bhandasar Jain Temple is a three-storey temple, famous for its beautiful leaf paintings, frescoes and ornamented mirror work. This temple was constructed using red sandstone with beautiful paintings and yellow-stone carvings on walls, pillars of the sanctum and

mandapa A mandapa or mantapa () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture. Mandapas are described as "open" or "closed" depending on whether they have walls. In temples, ...

. On the walls there are illustrations depicting the lives of the 24

s. The temple consist of ''

garbhagriha A ''garbhagriha'' or ''sannidhanam'' is the ''sanctum sanctorum'', the innermost sanctuary of a Hindu and Jain temples where resides the ''murti'' (idol or icon) of the primary deity of the temple. In Jainism, the main deity is known as the ''M ...

'', ''

antarala Antarala (Sanskrit: अन्तराल, lit. ''intermediate space'') is a small antechamber or foyer between the garbhagriha (shrine) and the mandapa A mandapa or mantapa () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian arch ...

'', '' mahamandapa'', and ''

ardhamandapa In Hindu temple architecture, Ardhamandapa (lit. half-open hall), also spelled ''artha mandapam'' or ''ardh mandapam'', is an important element of the entrance group. It is an entrance porch forming a transitional area between the outside and a ma ...

''. The sanctum is

pancharatha A Hindu temple is a ''pancharatha'' when there are five '' ratha'' (on plan) or ''paga'' (on elevation) on the tower of the temple (generally a ''shikhara''). The rathas are vertical offset projection or facets. The name comes from the sanskri ...

(''five rathas'') is covered by

shikhara ''Shikhara'' (IAST: '), a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak", refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India, and also often used in Jain temples. A ''shikhara'' over the ''garbhagriha'' chamber ...

having karna-

amalaka An amalaka ( sa, आमलक), is a segmented or notched stone disk, usually with ridges on the rim, that sits on the top of a Hindu temple's shikhara or main tower. According to one interpretation, the amalaka represents a lotus, and thus the ...

s and amalakas at top.

Gallery

File:Inde Bikaner Bhanda Shaha Jain Temple Interieur - panoramio.jpg, Beautiful paintings on the wall File:Bhandasar Jain Temple.jpg, Main vedi of Bhandasar Jain Temple File:Sculptures around the sactum of Bhandasar Jain temple - 2.jpg, Paintings in Bhandasar Jain Temple File:Inde Bikaner Bhanda Shaha Jain Temple Interieur - panoramio (1).jpg, Artistic Interior File:Ceiling of Bhandasar Temple - 6.jpg, Ceiling File:Wall of Bhandasar Temple - 2.jpg, Wall Painting File:Bhandasar Jain temple pillared interior - 2.jpg, Pillar Interior File:Bhandasar Jain Temple Bikaner DSC 1081.JPG 2.jpg, Interior File:Bhandasar Jain Temple Bikaner DSC 1089.jpg , Hall

Conservation

The temple have undergone renovations, are under protection of

References

Citations

Sources

* * * * * {{Authority control Jain architecture Jain art 12th-century Jain temples Jain temples in Rajasthan Buildings and structures in Bikaner