Temples & Mosques
The Temples in particular that we saw were fabulous and very different to anything we had seen before.
The largest Mosque in India, Jama Majid Mosque in Old Delhi. On our last night we ate nearby; the following day two terrorist bombs were set off here (no connection!). The restaurant we ate in was Karim’s run by descendants of the chefs of the last Emperor. I would recommend this restaurant, an enormous amount of delicious food and no alcohol (obviously being so traditional). We were the only tourists there. Everyone else was eating with their fingers, but the waiter took pity on us and gave us cutlery.
The Mosque is very large. Tourists are allowed up one of the minarets. However female tourists must be accompanied by men.
Great views from the top of the minaret. Not for the feint-hearted, though. The space at the top was small & far too crowded.
Bahai Temple in Delhi. Not all the temples were old. This spectacular Temple was completed 20 years ago. Reminiscent of Sydney’s Opera House.
Ranakpur Jain Temple
On the way to Rohet we visited Ranakpur to see one of the most holy Jain Temples in India, the 15th Century Chaturmukha Dharana Vihara. It is one of the largest and most important temples of the Jain religion. This temple is famous for its intricate carvings and unique architecture.
There are 1444 individually carved pillars – all different. It was easy to get lost in here.
The temple is famous for its beautiful carved idol of Parashvanatha, a key figure in Jainism made out of a single marble slab. The idol has 1008 snake heads and numerous tails. There are two elephants purifying Parshvanatha.
Some carvings were educational, such as this one illustrating various positions from a famous Indian book.
Jodhpur Temple, A very well decorated Hindu Temple in Jodhpur & inside a holy man attending to his Lingam.
Jaswant Thada Temple in Jodhpur – a particularly beautiful setting.
Jagadish Temple in Udaipur
The Temple is a most beautiful example of Hindu iconography, consisting of three stories of hand carved stone, with a steeple nearly 79 feet high and is the largest temple of Udaipur.
Giving the obligatory donation, I noticed that one of the two holy men at the top of the steps leading into the temple was wearing an expensive looking Rolex watch.
Many of these carvings tell fantastic stories. The carvings show all aspects of life & were used as a teaching aid for the illiterate locals. There is often a vertical hierarchy to the decorations, with the lower carvings representing the animals, the humans somewhere in the middle & the Gods & celestial beings at the top.
These figures are very flowing and sensuous, from a temple in Jaisalmer certainly not the sort you would find in a Christian church.