Ranakpur

Set amidst the grand cities of Jodhpur and Udaipur in Rajasthan, with their sumptuous history and extravagant heritage, lies a small village town by the name of Ranakpur, in the Pali district of the land of the colourful melange of forts, palaces, delicious cuisines, ravishing outfits and warm & dear hospitality. Ranakpur has long been known to be one of the most important and fascinating Jain temple complexes to have ever been built. The vast number of marble pillars which are very intricately carved to be similar but not the same are said to be 1,444 in total according to popular belief and stand firm across the entire temple complex, which is said to cover an area of over 48,000 square feet. The history of the construction of the architectural marvel, that is Ranakpur is said to have all begun from a vivid dream that a local and wealthy Jain businessman, by the name of Dharma Shah had - in which he envisioned paying homage to the First Tirthankar of the Jain religion - Lord Adinath, also known as Lord Rishabhanatha by building a magnificent temple in his honour. After this divine reverie, Dharma Shah went to the then Rajput monarch of the time - Rana Kumbha, to seek his patronage in building this temple. In the 15th century, the construction of the temple complex began under the support of King Rana Kumbha, who not only generously provided funds but also a huge plot of land to Dharma Shah, to build this temple on. To honour the invaluable support of the monarch - the temple and the township around it were named Ranakpur after the name ‘Rana Kumbha’.

Dedicated to Lord Adinath, the first Tirthankara of Jains, Ranakpur is one of the most important pilgrim sites for Jains. The majestic temple was built in the 15th century during the reign of Rana Kumbha. A renowned businessman of the time, Dharna Shah went to the king with his vision and was eventually offered the land to build the temple. Interestingly, the name of the place is derived from the name of the king himself. Adinath Temple: Spread over an area of around 48,000 sq.ft, 1444 light-tinted marble pillars support the structure of temple which includes four subsidiary shrines, 29 pillared halls and 80 domes. Notably, no two pillars have the same design carved on them. It is also said that it is impossible to count all the pillars at once. Chaumukha Temple: One distinctive feature of this temple lies in is the exquisite carving of a statue out of one marble which has 108 snakes. It faces in all the four directions and is known as 'Chaumukha' in Jainism. All the statues in the temple face each other. This temple, with its distinctively carved domes, ‘shikhara’, turrets and cupolas, rises royally from the hill.

The sacred town of Ranakpur witnesses an annual festival in the month of October. South Indian Bharatnatyam and Rajasthani folk performances are the main highlights along with the renditions by renowned dance performers and vocal artists. Tourists from all over the country visit Ranakpur during the festival. Cultural programmes are held at ‘Muktakash’, an outdoor auditorium at the Surya Mandir aka Sun Temple. One can also enjoy Jungle Jeep Safaris and craft fair during the festival.

Leather products are not allowed inside the temple. Non Jains are allowed inside the temple only between 12 PM to 5 PM. Morning hours are dedicated for prayers only.

Ranakpur Temple offers delicious vegetarian Jain food within the premises at affordable prices (INR 50). Do not expect luxurious restaurants and high end eating joints. There are 'bhojanshalas' in Dharamshalas where you can buy a coupon and have food. But take care of the time as Jain Food is not available at night.
There are several in-house restaurant options like Ranakpur Hill Resort and Hotel Fateh Bagh where you can enjoy delicacies of various cuisines.
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Day 1 - Reach Ranakpur, preferably by noon and take some rest. In the evening, you can go to the main market for a stroll, where you can buy precious curios and souvenirs, especially silver jewellery and gemstones.

Day 2 - The 2nd day should be the ideal time for starting your trip through Ranakpur Jain Temples, after which you can proceed to the ancient Surya Narayan Temple, which is another architectural wonder worth a visit in Ranakpur.

The top places near to Ranakpur are Udaipur which is 64 km from Ranakpur, Kumbhalgarh which is located 11 km from Ranakpur, Jaipur which is located 305 km from Ranakpur, Nathdwara which is located 40 km from Ranakpur, Rajsamand which is located 41 km from Ranakpur

The top things to do in Ranakpur are Ranakpur Jain Temple, Sadri, Surya Narayan Temple, Shopping in Ranakpur, Muchhal Mahavir Temple, Narlai. You can see all the places to visit in Ranakpur here

The packages for Ranakpur start at INR 11200 which can be further customized based on number of people, days, hotel category, vehicle type and customizations. You can have a look at all packages here

Ranakpur does not have an Airport of a Railway Station. Nearest city, Udaipur is connected with the rest of the country. Cabs and Buses are available from Udaipur, regularly.
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Lying in the tropical climatic zone, Ranakpur experiences typical hot and dry summers. The maximum temperature during the season rises up to 42 degrees Celcius resulting in scorching heat. Monsoon receives scanty rainfalls but drops in temperature are observed. Winters with mercury varying between 11 and 20 degrees Celcius are recommended as the best time to explore the town.
Ranakpur Festival is one of the major attractions which is held in October. Tourists from all over the country visit Ranakpur during the festival.


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Ranakpur is a popular destination for Jain pilgrims. It is an ideal destination for history lovers and spiritual seekers. The famous Adinath temple is nothing short of an architectural marvel with an interesting history associated with it.

It is primarily a religious and cultural destination with Temples being the major attractions. Other than that, there's little to explore.

A beautiful confluence of nature and culture.