The most beautiful religious buildings North India

Dilwara means "the place of temples". Five white marble temples built between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries rise from the surrounding hills to form an outstanding complex. The interiors, though somewhat massive on the outside, rival each other in beauty and grandeur. Not a single corner has been overlooked in the decoration work. The delicacy of the carvings, the chiseled ceilings and pillars, the countless polished marble statues reveal an extraordinary mastery of Indian craftsmen and an unparalleled creative fertility. Considered as the most beautiful examples of Jain temples in India, these temples are the object of an important cult among the members of the sect. Jainism was born out of a split with Hinduism in the 6th century B.C. and while many of the tenets are similar between the two religions, such as the attainment of enlightenment, no one deity occupies a central place. The tirthankars enshrined in the temples are the enlightened Masters, who lead the devotees to follow the path of supreme enlightenment. The temples of Mount Abu are among the five holiest places in Jainism, along with Ranakpur in Rajasthan and Palitana in Gujarat. Pilgrims come here in large numbers throughout the year. Considering their condition, it is hard to believe that only a few renovations have been undertaken over the centuries. After the partial destruction of the Vimal Vasahi in 1311, major repairs were initiated a decade later. It underwent another phase of care in 1906, following which the site was rededicated. Finally, another major maintenance cycle took place from 1950 to 1965. One can see the difference in patina between the old, yellowed marble and the more recent, white one.

Vimal Vasahi. This temple, the oldest, dates from 1031. It was built by Vimalsha, a minister of King Bhima I of Gujarat. It is dedicated to Adinath, the first holy man of Jainism(tirthankar). It is one of the finest examples of Jain architecture. You will be lulled by the spiritual atmosphere of the place. The temple stands in the middle of a courtyard surrounded by about 50 courtyards containing statues of other tirthankars, i.e. a holy man who has attained "enlightenment". The corridors, pillars, porticoes, arches and ceilings are gracefully carved in white marble. The motifs represent lotus flowers, plants, animals and scenes related to Jain mythology. In the main hall, the mandap row, the central dome is supported by 12 pillars beautifully decorated with women playing music and the 16 vidyadevis, the goddesses of knowledge. Do not miss to raise your head to admire the stone rose window. The gudh mandap which contains the idol of Adinath, is all in sobriety. But the door which gives access to it is richly decorated. Opposite the temple is the hatishala, the "house of elephants". Built in 1147 by a descendant of Vimalsha, the row of elephants carries the family lineage on its back.

Luna Vasahi. This temple is dedicated to Nenimath, the 22nd tirthankar and was erected in 1230 by two brothers, both ministers of the king of Gujarat. They built it in memory of their deceased brother Luna. You will be able to admire its so particular architecture, its extremely fine and meticulous sculptures. It took more than 2,000 craftsmen to build this real work of goldsmith. The highlight is the dome of the mandap row, the main hall. seventy-two tirthankars are depicted seated in a circle. The second concentric band represents 360 miniature figures of Jain monks. In the center of the ceiling, a magnificent chiseled stone pendant seems to float. The temple is surrounded by nine cells that compete for grace and lightness. The idol representing Neminath was carved in black marble. The black marble column on the left side of the temple is an addition of Maharana Khumba of Mewar.

Pittalhar Temple. The construction of this temple was undertaken by Bhima Shah, a minister of the Sultan of Ahmedabad, in the 15th century. More modest in size, and comprising only a few cells, it is unfinished. The temple takes its name from the imposing 2.40 meter high alloy statue of Adinath. In Hindi, copper is called pital. An inscription engraved on the statue states that it weighs 4 tons and that it is the work of an artist named Deta. The main shrine or gudh mandap contains an idol of Adinath in white marble.

Temple of Parshvanath. The construction of this temple undertaken by Mandlik dates back to 1458. Dedicated to Parshvanath, the 23rd tirthankar, it is the largest of the Dilwara temples. Four halls facing the cardinal points support the three-story structure. The exterior sculptures, of grey sandstone, are reminiscent of those of the temples of Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh): celestial beings, vidyadevis, yakshinis (fairies), salabhanjikas (woman standing near a tree and holding a branch)...

Temple of Mahavir Swami. This temple is the most recent of the group and dates from 1582. It is dedicated to Mahavira, the 24thand last tirthankar. Having lived from 599 to 527 BC, this saint is considered to have given Jainism its present form. He is particularly venerated for this reason. Paintings added in 1764 by Rajasthani artists can be seen on the upper parts of the entrance porch.

With a difference of close to 1 200 m for only 5 km travelled, this trek is no rest. It takes 5 hours for the climb and 2 hours to go down. In clear weather, the show at the top is sumptuous. The small lake is surrounded by seven snow-capped peaks, and the brave pilgrims are groups their feet before praying in the gurdwara in the surprising architecture. Govind Singh, the tenth and last gourus (the Builders builders of Sikhism), would have reflecting at the edge of this lake in a previous life, which explains his sanctity.

This sumptuous monastery of the Drugpa sect dates from the beginning of the ^18th century. In the middle of bewitching rocky landscapes, it is majestically suspended with a hill. It shelters superb frescos illustrating the protective deities and those with the thousand Buddhas. Higher up is the lama-lakhang, and two stuffed goats hang to the right of the entrance. A small museum contains ancient artifacts, thangkas and photos of the history of the gompa.