Ranakpur: Rajasthan Part 9

India

Rajasthan

This post covers day 11 of a 16-day journey around Rajasthan.

The size of Germany, Rajasthan is the largest of India’s 29 states. With the Thar Desert covering the north and west it is one of India’s less densely populated states, though with 200 people per km² (the same as Italy) it is hardly empty.

We drive from Narlai to Ranakpur and then to Udaipur, the southernmost point of our journey

In the 11th and 12th centuries the rise of the Rajputs created some 20 or so petty kingdoms ruled by Maharajas - the ‘Rajput Princes’. These kingdoms, at first independent, later vassal states of the Mughal or British Empires survived until 1947, when the Maharajahs led their ‘Princely States’ into the new Union of India, creating Rajasthan (the ‘Land of Princes’). The rulers became constitutional monarchs until 1971 when the Indian government ended their official privileges and abolished their titles. ‘Maharaja’ is now a courtesy title, but most remain leading members of their communities and some are still immensely rich. Several, like their British counterparts, have supplemented their income by turning forts and palaces into tourist attractions and hotels.

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Rajasthan's Finest Jain Temple

Narlai to Ranakpur

Breakfast at Narlai was a little better than the dinner; my sambar and idlis were good, but Lynne’s French toast was sweet to the point of inedibility - saffron rice and scrambled egg proved a better choice.

Narlai is 50km from Ranakpur, where the huge Jain temple does not open to non-Jains until midday, so a leisurely start was in order. By 10.29 we were sitting outside the fort waiting for Umed who arrived at 10.30, precisely on time as always.

10.29 outside Rawla Narlai

The journey continued through flat, dry land, studded with rocks, though none as impressive Narlai’s.

Another rock south of Narlai

There is always something to see on a drive through India…

Goats and goatherd on the road to Ranakpur

…and as the countryside became greener and hillier we encountered an apparent sit-down strike by the local monkeys, though their solidarity evaporated as we approached.

Grey langurs on the road to Ranakpur

Ranakpur Jain Temple

Around midday we reached the Aravalli Hills, which curl for 700km around the southern limit of the Thar desert. The Ranakpur site, nestling in the edge of hills, contains five Jain temples but ‘The’ Ranakpur Jain temple, the biggest and finest and the one everyone comes to see is the Chaturmukha Dharanavihara.

Construction began in 1437 after Dharna Shah, a wealthy and devout local Jain, was inspired by a dream. He gained sponsorship from Rana Khumba, ruler of Mewar (the Kingdom of Mewar had its capital at Udaipur and is very easily confused with the adjacent Kingdom of Marwar, ruled from Jodhpur) and engaged an architect named in an inscription as Deepaka.

Just a part of the RanakpurJain temple

 The white marble building took over fifty years to complete. It has suffered ups and downs over the last 500 years but for the past century it has been managed by the Anandji Kalyanji Pedhi trust, a charity that safeguards over 1,000 Jain Temples. They funded its restoration and continue to maintain the buildings in excellent condition.

Inspecting the impressively comprehensive ‘Do Not’ notice filled in the time while Umed queued for our tickets and ‘compulsory audio guide’ (4). Mostly the rules are reasonable; 11 could cause upset but is (I suspect, though without evidence) routinely ignored as is 8b (I have evidence for this – my trousers did not fall down). 8d contradicts 5.

Indians love a list of regulations (and then ignore those they don't like)

Jains make up 0.36% of the Indian population, a small proportion but that still means almost 5 million people. Rajasthan is home to 650,000 Jains - 1% of the population and the second highest proportion after Maharashtra. Jains are generally better educated and wealthier than their fellow citizens, the literacy rate among Jains being 95% compared to the national average of 74%.

We made our way to the entrance…

Entrance, Ranakour Jain temple

…where Akichaka, a bearded man with five bodies representing the five elements - fire, water, heaven, earth and air, is carved on the ceiling.

Akichaka, Ranakpur Jain temple

The interior is filled with pillars and spaces.

Inside the Ranakpur Jain temple

Beneath the central dome is a platform surrounded by intricate carvings. As I discovered, any non-Jain venturing onto the platform will be told, politely but firmly, by the orange-scarfed guardians that this sacred area is not for them.

Platform beneath the central dome, Ranakpur Jain temple

Around the perimeter are a wealth of carvings and statues, some I could not interpret….

Somebody on an elephant, Ranakpur Jain temple

…while others are of Tirthankaras. The object of a well-lived Jain life is to cross over the endless stream of lives and rebirths and so achieve moksha (like the Buddhist nirvana). The Tirthankaras are guides in this endeavour which is achieved by practising non-violence, honesty, chastity and non-attachment to material possessions. Time moves like the wheel of a cart, so any point on the circumference has an ascending half-cycle and a descending half-cycle. 24 Tirthankaras are born in each half cycle; Adinatha, the first of the current half-cycle was born 1 million years ago, the last, Mahavira lived in the 5th or 6th century BC. The Tirthankaras are deeply respected but not worshipped, though the temple is dedicated to Adinatha. I would not like to guess exactly who is depicted in the images below.

Tithankaras, Ranakpur Jain temple

If the central dome is off-limits there are plenty more you can point your camera at…

Dome, Ranakpur Jain temple

….while other carvings depict Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara surrounded by the heads of 1008 snakes - and innumerable tails….

Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara surrounded by the heads of 1008 snakes - and innumerable tails, Ranakpur Jain temple

….Jambudvipa, the realm of terrestrial life,…

Jambudvipa, the realm of terrestrial life, Ranakpur Jain temple

… and the 863 Jain temples on Mount Shatrunjaya in Gujarat [We climbed the 3750 step to the top of Shatrunjaya Hill in March 2019. Click here for that post.]

The 863 Jain temples on Mount Shatrunjaya, Ranakpur Jain temple

While wandering we were approached by a young man in an orange scarf who offered to pray for us and our families. Given the events at home alluded to in the Jaisalmer post, Lynne readily agreed. I suspect prayers can only be of comfort to those present, but no doubt Jain prayers are as good as anyone else’s, and can do no harm, so I went along with it. We retreated to an empty corner, where, with quiet solemnity, he said some words in English and (I assume) Hindi and gave us a blessing. I gave him some rupees, which he seemed to expect after reminding us he was a volunteer and received no payments for attendance at the temple.

The Road to Udaipur

We spent over an hour at the temple before returning to the road and driving deeper into the Aravalli Hills.

Driving through the Aravalli Hills

Restaurants seem to be springing up alongside the road as visitor numbers grow at Ranakpur. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant in a wide valley with small farms studding the hillsides. We sat on a breezy terrace sharing a curry of paneer and peas as tractors dragging loads of heavy stones trundled past, each one playing loud, cheery music.

Back in the car we passed through the small town of Sayra.

Sayra - small town Rajasthan

A little further on Umed spotted a pair of oxen plodding round in circles and brought the car to a stop.

Oxen plod round in circles, near Sayra

The couple in charge seemed used to receiving curious visitors and greeted us cheerfully. The oxen turned a wheel over which a chain of buckets delivered water from a well. The irrigation system might be antiquated, but the rich green of the surrounding fields proved it was effective.

Wheek and buckets, irrigation system near Sayra

The well was deep, the chain of buckets long and the steps descending inside the well looked scary.

Looking down into the well, near Sayra

The route so far had been slow but the last 50km into Udaipur should have been on Highway 27, a large modern dual carriageway. Before reaching the junction we encountered a ‘road closed’ sign and a diversion. Umed swung off onto a tiny local road, ‘the real India,’ as he said ruefully.

It was a long journey through small villages…

Small Village on the way to Udaipur

….with small, unsophisticated temples.

Village temple on the way to Udaipur

We reached Udaipur when the rush hour was at its peak.

Arriving in Udaipur

Udaipur may be a city of half a million people, but the centre is a warren of narrow lanes like those you might expect in a village – only much more extensive. Umed was navigating by means of his phone, but it could not cope with the small streets and frequent irregular junctions. Udaipur is known as the City of Lakes, and with good reason; a missed turning can lead you to a narrow one-way bridge and once across the lake a return bridge may be some way distant – and not necessarily over the same stretch of water. Umed made a couple of circuits of the centre (we noticed) and asked a few locals whose well-meaning assistance was not always helpful. He was becoming increasingly tense, his professional pride hurt by his inability to work out the labyrinthine streets. Eventually we turned off a lane into the sort of alley no one would expect to lead to a four-star hotel, and after a hundred metres, there it was.

Perhaps you would expect to find a posh hotel down here - I don't think I would

We checked in and said goodbye to Umed for the day and advised him to rest.

Our room had a balcony over Lake Pichola…

Our balconey overlooking Lake Pichola

…with views across the lake to the Maharaja’s Palace.

The view from our balconey across Lake Pichola

On being asked at check-in if we wished to book a table on the roof terrace, we had hesitated, unsure of other local dining options. ‘It’s the last table,’ we were warned. That settled it, who would not choose to dine beneath stars.

A blurry night-time photograph pf the hotel's roof tertace

We discovered that the whole restaurant was on the roof, the ‘roof terrace’ being just three elevated tables, but they did have the most splendid view over the dark lake and the floodlit buildings beyond. The Dunghaar Maas (smoked lamb) and Aloo Gobi Adraki (potato, cauliflower and ginger) were very good and left just enough space for a Gulab Jamun, my favourite Indian sweet.

Rajasthan, Land of Princes

Part 1: Jaipur and Amber (or Amer)
Part 2: Mandawa, Town of Havelis
Part 3: Bikaner, Sweets and Palaces
Part 4: Across the Thar Desert from Bikaner to Jaisalmer
Part 5: Jaisalmer in the Heart of the Thar Desert
Part 6: Jodhpur, Not Just a Pair of Trousers
Part 7: Rohet and the Bishnoi People
Part 8: Narlai, Small Town, Large Rock
Part 9: Ranakpur Jain Temple and on to Udaipur
Part 10: Udaipur (1), Royal City
Part 11: Udaipur (2) Bagore Ki Haveli and Dal Baati Churma
Interlude: Breakfast Thoughts in Udaipur
Part 12: Chittorgarh and on to Bundi
Part 13: Tiger Hunting in Ranthambhore

THE END