2013 -Aprile - India: Ranakpur
Ranakpur is a village located in Desuri tehsil near Sadri town in the Pali district of Rajasthan in western India. It is located between Jodhpur and Udaipur. 162 km from Jodhpur and 91 km from Udaipur, in a valley on the western side of the Aravalli Range. The Nearest Railway Station to reach Ranakpur is Falna Railway station. Ranakpur is one among the most famous places to visit in Pali, Rajasthan. Ranakpur is easily accessed by road from Udaipur.
Ranakpur is widely known for its marble Jain temple, said to be the most spectacular of the Jain temples.[1] There is also a small Sun temple which is managed by the Udaipur royal family trust.
Jain temple The renowned temple at Ranakpur is dedicated to Adinatha
Light colored marble has been used for the construction of
this grand temple which occupies an area of approximately 60 x
62 meters. The temple, with its distinctive domes,shikhara,turrets and
cupolas rises majestically from the slope of a hill. Over
1444 marble pillars, carved in exquisite detail, support the
temple. The pillars are all differently carved and no two
pillars are the same. It is also said that it is impossible to
count the pillars. Also all the statues face one or the other statue. There is one beautiful
carving made out of a single marble rock where there 108 heads of
snakes and numerous tails. One cannot find the end of the
tails. The image faces all four cardinal directions. In the axis
of the main entrance, on the western side, is the largest image.
tratto da: Wikipedia