Kanch Ka Mandir ( hi, काँच मंदिर), literally Temple of Glass, is a famous Jain temple in

Indore Indore () is the largest and most populous city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It serves as the headquarters of both Indore District and Indore Division. It is also considered as an education hub of the state and is the only city to ...

, built by Sir Seth Hukumchand Jain. The construction began sometime around 1903. There are quite a few other temples in India known as Kanch Ka Mandir, many of which are Jain temples. These include * Kanch Ka Mandir at Kanpur * Kanch Ka Mandir at Champanery * Kanch Ka Mandir at

Shri Mahavirji Shri Mahavir Ji is an important and prominent Jain pilgrimage site situated in Shri Mahaveerji town in Hindaun Block, Karauli district in Rajasthan. Given the importance of the religious place, the Indian Railways has specifically develope ...

* Kanch Ka Mandir at Chamatkarji * Kanch Ka Mandir at Shivpuri * Kanch Ka Mandir at Vrindavan * Kanch Ka Mandir at Indore

Kanch Ka Mandir of Seth Hukumchand Jain

Sir Seth Seth Hukumchand Jain was a prominent trader and one of India's industrial pioneer. He built a mansion at Itwaria Bazar called Shish Mahal and adjacent to it the Kanch Ka Mandir, both elegantly built using a white stone. Externally, the temple is built as a medieval mansion complete with a canopied balcony and a shikhara. The interior of Kanch Ka Mandir is entirely covered by glass panels and mosaics; including the floor, columns, walls and the ceilings. Seth Hukumchand hired craftsmen from

Jaipur Jaipur (; Hindi: ''Jayapura''), formerly Jeypore, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. , the city had a population of 3.1 million, making it the tenth most populous city in the country. Jaipur is also known a ...

and some even from

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

to work on the temple. The ornamentation follow the old and medieval Jain style, with the major innovation being the use of multicolored glass and mirrors. In the main

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 ' ...

, the idols of the

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 pass ...

s are flanked by mirrors on both sides, thus their images are seen infinite times. * Stories from Jain tradition * Jain concepts like ashta-karma, sapta-vyasan etc. * Samosharan of Lord Jina and Nadishwar dvipa * Depiction of major Jain tirthas * Historic events - consecration of the temple with portraits of the family members of Seth Hukumchand. Jaintemplekatni

Photography of the interior is generally prohibited. The temple serves as a central institution for Indore Jains, some processions start or terminate at the Kach Ka Mandir.

Festivals

Jain festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm at the Kach Ka Mandir. On Sugandh Dashami, special

mandala A mandala ( sa, मण्डल, maṇḍala, circle, ) is a geometric configuration of symbols. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of practitioners and adepts, as a spiritual guidance tool, for e ...

s are constructed using multi-colored rice-powder. Collective kshamavani (festival of forgiveness) in Indore is organized here as a central institution, even though it is also celebrated at other Indore Jain temples. Annual

Ratha Yatra Ratha Yatra (), or Chariot festival, is any public procession in a chariot. The term particularly refers to the annual Ratha Yatra in Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and other East Indian states, particularly the Odia festival that involve a ...

on a golden palaki is taken our from here.स्वर्ण रथयात्रा काँच मंदिर से http://hindi.webdunia.com/religion/religion/news/0804/17/1080417034_1.htm

Notes

External links

Jaina Architecture in India
Comprehensive study of Jain architecture with high quality photos.

Photos of Mulnayak in Jain Temples
Kanch Mandir on MyindoreCity
with the photos History of Kanch Mandir, Indore. {{Jainism Topics Tourist attractions in Indore Jain temples in Madhya Pradesh Buildings and structures in Indore 20th-century Jain temples