Visit to Temples of India

Kumbharia Jain Temples

During one of my visits to see some of the important places in Gujarat, I went with another cousin to Kumbharia, near Ambaji. I remember being particularly impressed by the beautiful Jain temples there. They were not as famous as the Dilwara temples of Mount Abu, but they had a beauty and character of their own.

Kumbharia is home to a remarkable group of five medieval Jain temples, built over several centuries between the 11th and 13th centuries. They belong to the great tradition of Jain temple architecture that flourished in Gujarat under the Solanki, or Chaulukya, rulers. The five temples are dedicated to Neminath, Mahavira, Parshvanath, Shantinath and Sambhavnath.

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  Neminath

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  Mahavira

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  Parshvanath

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  Shantinath

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  Sambhavnath

What struck me most was the extraordinary workmanship in the stone. The pillars, ceilings, doorways and other parts of the interiors are covered with intricate carving. The craftsmen had worked on a very small scale as well as on the larger architectural forms, filling the stone with delicate figures and patterns. The marble carving at Kumbharia is especially celebrated, and the interiors show the same remarkable medieval Jain tradition that we see at Mount Abu.

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Yet I would not describe Kumbharia simply as another Dilwara. The temples have their own character. The atmosphere seemed quieter and more intimate to me, and there was something particularly appealing about discovering these beautiful shrines away from the fame of the better-known temples of Mount Abu.

The history of the place is also fascinating. Kumbharia was once known as Arasana and appears to have been an important Jain centre. The five temples that survive today were constructed at different times, beginning with the Mahavira temple in the 11th century and continuing into the 13th century.

The principal temple at Kumbharia is dedicated to Neminath, the 22nd Tirthankara. The other four are dedicated to Mahavira, Parshvanath, Shantinath and Sambhavnath. Standing together, the five temples give an impression of the richness of Jain religious and artistic life in medieval Gujarat.

I am glad that, on that visit with my cousin, I had the opportunity to see Kumbharia. Some places remain in one's memory not because they are the most famous, but because of the beauty one discovers there. Kumbharia was one of those places for me.