Surya Narayan Temple, Ranakpur, Rajasthan
Suryanarayan temple is located very near to Ranakpur Jain temple in Rajasthan. We were traveling from Kumbhalgarh to Ranakpur and the first thing we saw was Suryanarayan Temple. This temple is dedicated to Sun god (Surya Dev in Hindi). The temple is managed by the Udaipur royal family. Suryanarayan temple can be a precursor for what to expect at Ranakpur Jain temple. This compact temple is beautifully designed. Built on a higher pedestal like Hoysala temples of Karnataka. I felt Suryanarayan temple is a mixture of 3 unique architectures of India. The pedestal and walls are of Hoysala style, the main tower and some designs around the tower are of Puri Jagannath temple of Konark temple style (both from Orissa). Then there is Rajasthani touch through the stone work on the walls and carvings.
The temple is open from dawn to dusk. Photography of the deity is not allowed.
One Comment