Hutheesing Jain Temple, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.


Hutheesing Temple is the best-known Jain temple in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. This remarkably elegant temple created out of white marble has been sacred to many Jain families, generation after generation.




It was built in 1848 A.D. at an estimated cost of 10 lakh rupees by a rich merchant Sheth Hutheesing Kesarisinh, a wealthy Ahmedabad trader who died at 49. The construction was supervised and completed by his wife Shethani Harkunvar. Temple is dedicated to the 15th Jain tirthankara, Shri Dharmanatha. Traditional artisans working in stone belonged to the Sompura & Salat communities.



The temple architect was Premchand Salat and the work of the Hutheesing Jain temple is attributed to him. The Salat community constructed masterpieces of architecture ranging from forts, palaces to temples. Lockwood de Forest who was a business associate of Muggenbhai Hutheesing, the son of Sheth Hutheesing, estimated the cost as "over a million dollars".


The temple was built during a severe famine in Gujarat. Building the temple employed hundreds of skilled artisans which supported them for a period of two years. The temple is managed by a Hutheesing family trust.

Basically, it is Located outside the Delhi Gate, the temple is spread over a sprawling courtyard, a mandapa surmounted by a large ridged dome, which is supported by 12 ornate pillars. The main building is double-storied. The small garbhagriha (main shrine) on the east end reaches up into three stunningly carved spires and encircled by 52 small shrines dedicated to the various Tirthankaras. The moolnayak is marble image of the 15th Tirthankara, Lord Dharamnath.



The main temple ve in three bay sanctuaries. The secondary shrines form a long gallery its three sides. There are large protruding porches with magnificently decorated columns and figural brackets on three outer sides.



Also, a recently built 78 ft unique Manastambha (or column of honour) fashioned after the renowned tower at Chittor in Rajasthan, flanks the outer courtyard by the front entrance. Some of the motifs used in the design reminds one of the Sultanate minarets of the Mughal period.

 

One scholar has remarked, "Each part goes on increasing in dignity as we approach the sanctuary. Whether looked at from its courts or from the outside, it possesses variety without confusion and an appropriateness of every part to the purpose for which it was intended."


Picture Credit: Parth Vaghela
Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

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