The Neminath Temple Ranakpur ( नेमीनाथ जैन मन्दिर ) stands in the shadow of the opulent magnificence of the massive main Ranakpur Jain Temple or the Chaumukha temple. Yet the small and compact temple which is barely a stone’s throw from the main temple captures your heart with its simplicity. The emptiness of the temple tugs at your heartstrings and leaves a deep impact. The Neminath Jain Temple is similar in design to the Parshwanath temple nearby and is inside the main campus of the Ranakpur Jain temple and not far from the Ranakpur Sun temple.
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Neminath Temple Ranakpur India
We were in Ranakpur, one of the most auspicious and sacred pilgrimage sites for Jains in the western Indian state of Rajasthan. We were doing a road trip in Rajasthan and were at Ranakpur after visiting Ranthambore, Kumbhalgarh, Chittorgarh, and Nathdwara, and were on our way to Udaipur.
Neminath Jain Temple | नेमीनाथ जैन मन्दिर | Neminath Temple Ranakpur
A small door opens to a flight of steps that lead to the Neminath Jain Temple. A simple board with the name, “Neminath Derasar”, hangs above the door. The temple looks almost spartan in design with a simple carved door frame, but the elaborately carved Shikhara of the temple is tantalizingly visible from the outside.
As you pass through the door, a flight of steps that are perfectly aligned to the door that leads to the Garba Griha stretches out in front of you. The afternoon sun creates a surreal effect of light and shadow as you climb up the steps towards the raised platform on which the Neminath temple stands in solitary splendour.
The Architecture of Neminath Temple Ranakpur
The architecture of the Neminath Temple Ranakpur India is in the Nagara style of architecture which is common in the temples of Northern India. The temple is a replica of the nearby Parshwanath temple. The temple stands on a raised platform known as Jagati which is reached by a flight of steps. The front of the temple has an open courtyard with beautiful pillars which is the Mandapa. This is followed by a small antechamber known as Antarala which leads to the Garbagriha or sanctum sanctorum. A Shikhara rises above the Garbagriha and is made up of subsidiary Shikharas known as Urushringa.
Who Was Neminath | Neminath Jain Temple
Neminath or Neminatha was the 22nd Jain Tirthankara. He is believed to have been a contemporary of the Hindu God Krishna in the Dwapara Yuga. It is also believed that Neminatha shared his knowledge with Krishna which later emerged from the latter’s lips as the Bhagavad Gita.
This connection between Neminath and Krishna is believed to be the reason why the Bhagavad Gita is one of the accepted spiritual texts in Jainism and also why festivals related to Krishna are celebrated in Jainism.
It is believed that Neminath was to be married to the daughter of King Ugrasena who was the grandfather of Krishna, however, on hearing the cries of animals being slaughtered to prepare a wedding feast, Neminath renounced the world.
After renouncing the world, Neminath is believed to have meditated on Mount Girnar in Gujarat near Junagadh, till he attained moksha or salvation there.
How To Get To Neminath Jain Temple
- Neminath Jain temple is part of the famous Ranakpur Jain Temple Complex in Ranakpur, Rajasthan, India
- Ranakpur is about 93 kilometres from the city of Udaipur in Rajasthan, India
- The nearest airport to Ranakpur is Maharana Pratap Airport in Udaipur at a distance of about 106 kilometres
If you are planning a visit to Ranakpur to visit the famous Jain temples, you can book an inexpensive flight through TripAdvisor or Agoda or CheapAir or Cleartrip or Makemytrip or Priceline right here. If you are thinking of a road trip across Rajasthan covering Ranakpur then you can get there by self-drive car or cab or bus.
Other Interesting Places Near Ranakpur
- Nathdwara
- Udaipur
- Kumbalgarh
There is so much to see in the state of Rajasthan, that one needs to plan their itinerary properly based on time available. From Udaipur to Jaipur, from Bikaner to Jaisalmer and Pushkar, there is so much to see and experience.
You can plan your Rajasthan itinerary and book your Ranakpur trip, right here. So go ahead and book online places to see in Ranakpur and Rajasthan and popular activities in Udaipur and cover attractions in Udaipur.
| Click here to know more and book Udaipur Best Attractions in Udaipur and Rajasthan |
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Where To Stay In Ranakpur
One can visit Ranakpur as a day trip from Udaipur. But if you are looking for a relaxed visit with enough time to explore the Jain Temple of Ranakpur in detail then you can plan an overnight stay. We stayed overnight at the Ranakpur Hill Resort which a heritage property very near the Ranakpur Jain Temple.
You can book the Ranakpur Hill Resort or any other hotel in Ranakpur or anywhere in Rajasthan right here. You can book Ranakpur hotels through TripAdvisor or Cleartrip or Agoda or Makemytrip or Priceline and save a lot by getting the best savings on booking your stay.
| Click to book the best hotels in Ranakpur and best resorts in Ranakpur |
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This is one of the smaller temples I’ve come across online, but it still looks very impressive! I love the history behind Neminath Temple and the fact that there are some other things to see in the area is a bonus. Can’t wait to plan my trip to India and see all of these beautiful temples!
Sandy and Vyjay, how incredibly cool. Special. I love the history of India; the nation goes so far back. Definitely time for a return visit down the road when everything opens up around the world. So much to see and do now that me and wifey are full time digital nomads.
Ryan
I love that this temple is a replica of the Ranakpur Jain Temple yes smaller, therefore it was probably a lot less crowded. Those are the types of places I like to visit and spend time at. It’s also wonderful that there are other places near it to visit as well. I’ll definitely check this place out!
I am putting together an itinerary for Rajasthan for when I can next travel to India. Ranakpur is just the kind of place that I want to visit, those out of the way places that are beautiful and less touristy.
This looks so cool. I love the smaller, more peaceful temples. I thought I’d seen a lot of Rajasthan but obviously still a lot more to see. Would love to return there one day, when the world returns to some form of normality.
This is quite a gem you found within the Ranakpur Jain Temple Complex. I find the Neminath Temple quite fascinating both in terms of it’s beautiful detailed architecture as well as it’s history and the past stories/legends that accompany it. While easily reached via a day trip from Udaipur, I agree it would be so much better to spend additional time and stay at least one night at Ranakpur. The Ranakpur Hill Resort really looks like a lovely spot to relax and take in so much that the region has to offer.
….and yet another beautiful temple in Rajasthan alone. By now I’m afraid I’ll feel like Sisyphus once I make it to India: There is sooo much to see! What strucks me is how empty the place is. Is the temple simply a rather hidden gem?
This is a nice article, I was unaware of the connection between Jain Tirthankara Neminath and Lord Krishna. Also, Gita has a connection with Jains. I want to visit the temple and the resort looks awesome for staying purpose.
Lost buildings of India. Such beautiful architecture in all of them. Need to feature on the tourist circuit
Thanks for sharing this information , I was unaware of the rich religious history of this Neminath temple. India is definitely a treasure hunt, whenever you dug anything one or the other archeological miracle comes to light. It looks absolutely amazing there and I know it would be a wonderful experience.
It was great to know about Neminath and the connection with Krishna and Bhagwad Gita. Also, it always amazes me to see such architecture and wonder, can this be done today?
Wow.. Congratulations on finding out this gem and sharing with us all. It looks awesome with wonderful architecture. Nice to know about this temple.
I have only covered Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer in my previous trip. Will definitely cover this area when I visit Udaipur next
Have heard the name of Ranakpur before, but this is the first time reading an actual legit blog about the place. The Neminath temple does have a rather imposing structure, and seems to be in quite a good shape as well.
Being 90 odd kms from Udaipur, Ranakpur makes for an excellent day trip option / a good stopover location, on a pan Rajasthan Road Trip.
I have not visited Rajasthan but I would love to visit someday. I know it has such beautiful temples and landmarks. I would love to visit this Jain temple, they have such intricate detailing. I will surely add Neminath Temple to my list.
Udaipur has its beauty and with the details of the Neminath temple the desire to visit it is more. Shall consider Ranakpur for exploration.
Have been to Rajasthan several times but this place remained unexplored by me , was not aware about the same , I will surely keep this in my itinerary for when I travel next
I been to Kumbhalgarh but due to lack of time skipped Ronakpur. This time I am planning to visit this one. Thanks for sharing