Overview

  • Features: A Hindu temple with intricately carved pillars and sculptures
  • Opening Times: 5:30 am to 2:00 pm & 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm, daily
  • Best Time to Visit: Late October to early March
  • Duration: 30 minutes to 1 hour
  • Travelled By: Foot
  • Cost: Donation
  • Address: Silawatwari, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
  • Type: Temple

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What We Liked

Rich, elaborate carvings were spectacular.

What We Disliked

Being non-Hindus, we weren’t allowed to go inside.

Summary

Jagdish Temple Udaipur is the largest Hindu temple in Udaipur and a big tourist attraction. Its intricately carved pillars and beautiful sculptures are fine examples of Indo-Aryan architecture. Located near the City Palace Udaipur, the Jagdish Temple Udaipur is worth a visit.

Jagdish Temple Udaipur

 

Jagdish Temple Udaipur is a large Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the Lord of the Universe. In 1651, the temple was built by Maharana Jagat Singh, who ruled Udaipur during 1628-53. Being the largest temple in Udaipur, it is a major monument and a big tourist attraction in the city.

 

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Located in the City Palace complex of Udaipur, entrance to this temple is by a steep, elephant-flanked flight of steps 150 metres north of the City Palace’s Bidi Pol entrance.

This temple is made in the Indo-Aryan style of architecture. It is a fine example of the Aryan style and contrasts with the serenity of Udaipur’s predominantly white-washed buildings.

When we approached this temple, we were welcomed by two huge stone elephants at the entrance. On the very front of the temple, we found a stone slab imprinted with inscriptions to the founder, Maharaja Jagat Singh. To reach the main shrine, we had to climb a flight of 32 marble steps. In front of the main temple structure, there is a brass image of Garuda, a figure of half-man and half-eagle. This huge idol seems to be guarding the doorway to the temple of Lord Vishnu.

 

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This three-storied temple has beautiful carvings on the exterior of the main structure. It is a wonderful piece of architecture that comprises beautifully carved pillars, decorated ceilings, painted walls and lush halls.

The shikhar (spire) of the main temple is around 79 feet high and dominates the skyline of Udaipur. The spire is beautifully decorated with sculptures of dancers, elephants, horsemen and musicians.

 

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The Jagdish Temple Udaipur is raised on a tall terrace. The splendid architecture consists of a pyramidal spire, double-storey mandapa (prayer hall), a double-story saandhara (covered ambulatory sanctum) and a porch.

 

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The first and the second storeys of the temple possess 50 pillars each. The intricate carvings on the pillars are particularly noteworthy and add to the beauty of this temple. The mandapa has another storey tucked within its pyramidal samavarna (bell-roof) while the hollow clustered spire over the sanctum contains two more nonfunctional levels.

This temple was built keeping in the mind the Hindu architectural science of ‘Vastushstra’. Every year, people from far and near come to visit this holy place of worship.

The main shrine houses the striking four-armed image of Lord Vishnu as Jagannath, the Lord of the Universe. This idol is carved out of a single piece of black stone. It is believed that one glimpse of the idol allows the person to go to their afterlife where everything is calm and serene. The main shrine of Lord Vishnu is located in the middle encircled by four smaller shrines. These shrines are dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the Sun God, Goddess Shakti and Lord Shiva respectively.

It cost Rs 1.5 million to build the Jagdish Temple Udaipur.

Overall, the Jagdish Temple Udaipur is a splendid temple for its architectural beauty and sheer size. The fact that we couldn’t enter inside (being non-Hindu) was a pity.

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