The Ranakpur Jain Temple is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Jains, and is a must-see for anyone travelling to India. Located in Rajasthan, the temple is dedicated to the three main Jain prophets, Rishabhanatha, Mahavira, and Sarvarthasena, and contains a large number of Jain monuments and religious statues. Get ready to wonder in one of the most stunning temples you have ever seen!
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What is Ranakpur Jain Temple
The Jain Temple of Ranakpur – also known as Chaturmukha Jain Temple – is an outstanding Jain Temple known for its magnificent archiecture. It is dedicated to Tirthankara Rishabhanatha and is considered one of the best temples in all Rajasthan, and possibly even India. Did you know? The temple of Ranakpur even made it to the 77 nominees for the 7 Wonders of the World. So, why is that?
Ranakpur was entirely built in white marble. There are 1444 intricately carved pillars, 29 pillared halls and 80 domes in Ranakpur, and these are just some of the impressive numbers. This gives you an idea of the scale of this complex. Moreover, there aren’t 2 pillars that looks the same. Each one is unique, and it’s decorated in a different way.
The dates of its construction are not clear, but sources report that it began in 1389 and was finished in 1458 CE, and involved nearly 2900 workers. Other sources say the construction works continued for nearly 50 years more, until 1496 CE.
The temple, as well as the nearby town of Ranakpur, are named after the provincial ruler monarch, Rana Kumbha. The monarch approved and supported the construction of the temple.
Where is Ranakpur?
Ranakpur Jain Temple is located north of Udaipur in Rajasthan, on the road connecting Jodhpur to Udaipur. It is about 155km from the city of Jodhpur, and 90km from Udaipur.
The landscape in the direction of Jodhpur is flat, while the 90 km dividing the temple to Udaipur is mointanous, as Ranakpur sits at the foothill of the Aravalli Mountain Range.
How to get to Ranakpur Jain Temple
Due to its somewhat remote location, the temple of Ranakpur may seem difficult to reach at first. Luckily, this isn’t the case. You can reach Ranakpur either by car, by bus or by train + bus/car. Here are the details:
🚗 Hire a private driver
If you hire a private driver, you can visit Ranakpur from Jodhpur or Udaipur as a day trip. However, the best option would be to include a visit to the temple on your transfer from one city to another. This will allow you to waste no time.
The ride from Jodhpur to Udaipur takes about 5 hours by car, and the Ranakpur Temple is conveniently on the way. We found our driver thanks to our host, and he asked us for 4000 INR ($49 USD) in total. Alternatively you can check prices and search for drivers either on Uber or on Makemytrip (the latter is not available in many countries, but will be available when in India).
The ride was smooth and our driver was really nice. The price included a stopover at Ranakpur, and we ended up staying a couple of hours at the temple before continuing towards Udaipur.
Are you going to visit Udaipur? Don’t miss Bahubali Hill, the best sunset viewpoint in Udaipur!
🚌 Get to Ranakpur Jain Temple by bus
- FROM UDAIPUR: To get to the Ranakpur Jain Temple from Udaipur by bus, you should take an AC bus from Udaipur to Sadri. The journey will take approximately two hours. Upon arrival in Sadri, you can take a rickshaw to Ranakpur. The bus stand of Sadri is only 9km from the Ranakpur Jain Temple.
The bus ticket costs about 120 INR. - FROM JODHPUR: The easiest option to get to Ranakpur is to take a RSRTC Bus from the Jodhpur Bus Stand to Sadri Bus Stand. There are about 3 buses each day, and the ride takes about 4 hours. From Sadri, the route is the same described above. Tickets cost about 190 INR.
You can check bus tickets on Redbus. Also, the temple is very popular among tourists so there are plenty of rickshaws available to complete the last mile.
🚂 Get to Ranakpur Jain Temple by train
The nearest train station is Falna (Pali), located about 34km from the temple of Ranakpur. From Falna, you can then take a bus towards Sadri, from which you can continue by rickshaw. It’s probably the most complicated route, but sometimes it’s the only option, depeding where you’re coming from.
If the train is your only option available, check tickets to Falna on IRCTC.
Whatever mean of transport you will choose, enjoy the ride through some fascinating Indian rural landscapes.
The Ranakpur Complex
In Ranakpur you will find 3 temples, which are the main Ranakpur Jain Temple, the “Parshwanath Temple”and the “Neminath Temple”. Outside the walls you will find a fourth temple, referred to as the “Sun Temple”.
The Main Temple (Chaturmukha Jain Temple)
The main temple of Ranakpur is where you’ll spend most of your time during your visit. The size of the main temple is impressive, but it’s the exquisite details what make it special.
Before entering, leave all the prohibited items in your car or in one of the lockers, get an audioguide and take your shoes off.
The Ranakpur Jain Temple is one of the 5 most sacred places for Jains, and it’s also one of the largest and most important temples in Jain culture. The temple is dedicated to Adinath, whcih – according to Jain cosmology – was the first Tirthankar of the present half-cycle. Therefore, Ranakpur Jain Temple is also known as Adinath Temple.
As soon as you enter you will feel a considerable drop in temperature, especially if you visit it during the scorching Rajasthan summer months. This is due to the light coloured marble that this three-storey marvel is made of.
Take your time to walk through the over 1400 pillars which have been carved to create this impressive masterpiece.
Also, don’t forget to look up and admire the artwork on the ceilings. Each dome is adorned with more carvings, different for each one. Words can’t describe the astonishment one feels when walking through this shrine.
Parshwanath Jain Temple
The temple of Parshwanath is located next to the entrance of the Ranakpur main temple (which you can see in the background). This temple is much smaller, yet it is incredibly rich in decorations and it’s beautifully designed. Even though it’s a stone throw away from Ranakpur Jain Temple, expect to find less people here, as most visitors only stop at the main one.
The Parshwanath Jain Temple not only is a beautiful temple we recommend visiting, but it also offers one of the best views of the main Chaturmukha Jain Temple. Expect to spend about 15 minutes to visit this temple. There is no entrance fee.
Neminath Temple
Also located in the Ranakpur complex, the Neminath Temple is pretty much a replica of the Parshwanath Jain Temple. Both temples aren’t particularly popular so you will most likely have the place for yourself when visiting.
The temple was built on an elevated platform, and as for its neighbouring Parshwanath Temple there is no entrance fee. You still need to take your shoes off to walk in the temple.
Ranakpur Opening time
The Ranakpur Jain Temple is open to tourists from 12pm to 5pm. Yes, you can only visit the temple after noon.
Mornings are for the Jain community, so they can have the temple for themselves to pray and for cerimonies.
Ranakpur Jain Temple: entrance fee
For foreign tourists there is an audioguide fee which costs 200 INR ($2.5 USD). In addition, you’ll need to pay a 100 INR ($1.25 USD) fee for each camera or mobile phone you are carrying. There is also a 300 INR ($3.65 USD) fee for each videocamera or tablet you want to bring with you.
We were 2 and we had 3 amongst cameras and smartphones, so we ended up paying 400 INR plus an additional 300 INR, which is about $8.5 USD in total.
Mandatory rules at Ranakpur Jain Temple
There are quite a few rules you must follow in a Jain Temple, here are all of them:
- No food nor drinks are allowed inside the temple. This also includes water
- Carrying any kind of leather is strictly prohibited insite the temple
- Women are required to cover their head when entering the temple
- People wearing night suit, bermuda, short skirts and any type of non-appropriate outfits are not allowed to enter the temple
- Women are not allowed to enter the temple during their periods
- Indecent photography is prohibited inside the temple
- Audioguide for tourists is compulsory
- Taking photos of Gods idols is strictly prohibited
- Touching idols and carvings is prohibited
Regarding photography, there is an additional rule to follow inside the temple. As reported on a sign outside the temple, “only artwork photography is allowed in Ranakpur temple premises. Personal photography is strictly prohibited”. This means you can take photos of the temples and the structure, but you should not pose or take selfies.
Furthermore, there is a list of articles which are prohibited insite the Ranakpur temple.
List of articles prohibited inside the Ranakpur temple
- Any type of edibles and drinks including water
- Any type of leather items such as belts, purse, wallets, etc..
- Cigarette, tobacco and any other toxicants
- Any type of weapons and prohibited items (dangerous items)
- Shoes, footwear
How long does it take to visit Ranakpur?
Visiting Ranakpur Jain Temple takes about 1 to 2 hours.
If you’re on a hurry, one hour will be enough to visit it. However, 2 hours is an appropriate time to fully appreciate the complexity of Ranakpur.
