Jain Temples of Jaisalmer Part 2 - Parasnath, Shitalnath & Other Temples

After visiting the first two “introductory” Jain Temples (Chandraprabhu and Rikhabdev), the next ideal stop would be the Parasnath Temple located behind the Chandraprabhu. From here, it’s a dizzying maze of nondescript doors and archways, anastomosing with the remaining temples.

Shitalnath, dedicated to the 10^th tirthankar, for example, leads to the Sambhavanth, which leads to a repository of manuscripts dating back from the 1500 – the place is called Gyan Bandar. It’s imperative to be conscious of your time. These temples have limited viewing time – from 11 AM to 12 noon so if you take your sweet time to soak on the geometrical artistry of the sculptures, you will miss a few sights. This doesn’t give you enough time to document and digest what you see. 

On hindsight, it’s easy to find yourself checking your photographs and not remember the exact location of these temples. Lack of adequate signs hampers these educational proclivities, but what’s more important is that you’ve seen them and you’ve been there.

You can always come back the next day, pay the individual entrance fees, and master each nook. Otherwise, most people find other places to see - like Gadi Sagar and its rainwater lake. Or the havelis nearby.

I was personally disoriented at some point of the visit. Once I stepped out from my last temple, I was cloaked by pleasurable daze. What was all that! And I’m talking here about the Jain Temples alone. What follows are images from this rest of the Jain Temples of Jaisalmer.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Gateways like this lead to another temple..

Unusually small and black Buddha.

Exquisite torana (gateway).

There are 109 of these marble-made Buddhas.