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Jagdish Temple is one of the
famous temples of Udaipur. Located in the City Palace complex of Udaipur,
this temple is made in the Indo-Aryan style of architecture. In 1651,
Jagdish temple was built by Maharana Jagat Singh, who ruled Udaipur
during 1628-53. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu (Laxmi Narayan),
the preserver of the Universe. It is celebrated for being the largest
temple in the city of Udaipur. The gateway of this temple can be sited
at a distance of 150 meters from the Bara Pol of the
City Palace.
This three-storied temple is a wonder of architecture that comprises
beautifully carved pillars, decorated ceilings, painted walls and lush
halls. In those times, 1.5 million rupees were spent to raise this
structure.
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The spire of the main temple
is around 79 feet high that undoubtedly dominates the skyline of Udaipur.
This shikhar (spire) is festooned with sculptures of dancers, elephants,
horsemen and musicians making it truly a sight to behold.
As and when you approach the temple, you will be welcomed by two huge
stone elephants at the entrance. On the very front of the temple, you
would find a stone slab that is imprinted with the inscriptions with
reference to Maharaja Jagat Singh. To reach the main shrine, you have to
take a marble flight of 32 steps. Here, you will find a brass image of
Garuda, a figure of half-man and half-eagle. This huge idol stands as
if; it is guarding the doorway of Lord Vishnu.
The main shrine houses the striking four-armed image of Lord Vishnu.
This idol is carved out of a single piece of black stone. A single
glimpse of the idol takes the person to the celestial world to find
everything calm and serene. The main shrine of Lord Jagdish/ Vishnu is
centrally located encircled by four smaller shrines. These shrines are
dedicated to Lord Ganesha, Sun God, Goddess Shakti and Lord Shiva
respectively.
The splendid architecture of the temple boasts of a pyramidal spire,
mandap (prayer hall) and a porch. The first and the second storey of the
temple possess 50 pillars each. The intricate carvings on the pillars
need an enduring sight to praise the noteworthy beauty of this temple.
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 serenity as well as the
architectural magnificence of the temple cannot be bounded in words, so
one must visit this temple to get the blessings of Lord Jagdish.
How to
reach
Located inside the City Palace Complex,
one can easily reach Jagdish Temple from the city by taking local Buses,
Rickshaws, Tongas and Taxis.
Nearest airport is
Maharana Pratap Airport
(also known as
Udaipur Airport or
Dabok Airport (IATA:
UDR, ICAO: VAUD)) which is located 22 km (14 mi) east of Udaipur.
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