India Travel Guide

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Ranakpur

A small town nestled in a remote valley of the Aravalli ranges and oozing loads of beauty, that's Ranakpur, a must visit destination in Rajasthan. The lush greenery and flowing streams here have an enrapturing quality that bind the spectator with beautiful strings of admiration. The picturesque beauty has a refreshing aura around them that leaves even the most exhausted soul bouncing back to life and merriment.

Ranakpur has quiet a few attractions in store to entertain its guests who make special efforts to visit it or simply stop by en route to other places. However, what has been the highlight of the small town is the Jain Temple complex. The temple complex has an unbeatable significance, so much so that it has brought Ranakpur on the map of five most revered Jain pilgrim destination in India.

With such a status granted, it is little surprising that tourists make a beeline to find out what exactly make these temples worth visiting. Staying at Ranakpur is an excellent option to explore it in entirety. A little distance away from Ranakpur are other attractions like a Wildlife Sanctuary (Kumbhalgarh) and Hindu Temples that can be visited while on a trip. However, for those hard pressed with time, a day's trip from Udaipur is not a bad idea in any case.

How to Reach Ranakpur

By Air
Udaipur, at a distance of 60 km Ranakpur offers the nearest airport, the Dabok Airport. Flights from Udaipur connect to Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Mumbai and Aurangabad.

By Train
Udaipur also happens to be the most convenient railhead from Ranakpur though the nearest one lies at Phalna. Trains from Udaipur connect to Delhi, Jaipur, Ajmer and Chittaurgarh

By Road
By road too Ranakpur is well connected to Udaipur which in turn connects it to various other tourist places within and outside Rajasthan. Prominent amongst these destination are Jaipur, Ajmer, Kota/Bundi, Jodhpur, Chittorgarh, Ahmedabad, Varodara, Mumbai, Delhi, Indore, and Mt Abu. A network of buses connect Ranakpur to nearby places apart from the four deluxe buses that run to and from Udaipur.

Places of Tourist Interest

Ranakpur Jain Temples
The Ranakpur Complex hold an exceptional beauty, which is well worth seeing, and makes for a convenient stop between Jodhpur and Udaipur. It is tucked away in remote and quite valley of the Aravalli Range, 90km from Udaipur.

The main temple is the Chaumukha Temple, or Four-Faced Temple, dedicated to Adinath, the first tirthankar ('Jain Teacher'). Built in 1439, this huge, superbly crafted and well-kept marble temple has 29 halls supported by 14 pillars - no two are alike. Within the complex are two other Jain temples (dedicated to Neminath and Parasnath) and,, a short distance away, a Sun Temple. Amba Mata Temple is 1 km from the main complex.

Ghanerao
The small town of Ghanerao has a castle that has been converted into a hotel. A notable here, is the temple of Gajanand with a life-size statue of the goddesses Ridhi and Siddhi. The statue is guarded by Hanuman and Bhairon on either side. Mahavira Temple, a 10th century Jain Temple, is also worth going a visit.