'''Ranakpur''' is in Rajasthan in the West of India.

Get in

From Jodhpur, take a train to Falna station (250 Rs) and get a taxi to Ranakpur (~350 Rs). Ranakpur is reachable, by car or bus, from Udaipur as well.

Distances:

  • From Falna: 30km
  • From Udaipur: 90km
  • From Jodhpur: 160km
  • Get around

    Ranakpur is a small village, and there are no rickshaws or taxis touting to take you around. Near the Ranakpur temple, you can hire a private car to take you to hotels in and around the village. Most tourists make Ranakpur a stop on a day trip from Udaipur, although there are a number of nice hotels nearby.

    See

    The Ranakpur temple is one of the most famous Jain temple and dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankar (enlightened human) of our time cycle, '''Adinath''' (aka Lord Rishabha). It is a very big temple (ceiling around 7m high), made up of white marble, offers sculptures of same quality but different type than Dilwara, but is beautiful from the outside, too. It has more than a thousand columns none of which are alike.

    Nearby, there are two smaller temples built after two other Jain Tirthankars, Neminath and Parsvanath. There is also a small temple built near the main temple for the '''Hindu''' Sun God, Surya.

    Sleep

  • '''Hotel Maharani Bagh''', Tel: 91-2934-285151, spacious, clean rooms set among a mango grove. Doubles are around Rs 5000 per night. Room service is slow, especially in the morning.
  • Inside the temple area, one can sleep for 10Rs, having breakfast (around 10Rs), hike a little, see the temple, enjoy thalis for 50Rs and check out afterwards. Very basic cell of 2,5x2,5m with simple mattress and shared bathroom.
  • Do

  • Jeep Safari or nature hike through the Ranakpur valley or the nearby Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary http://www.princesstrails.com
  • Horseback Safari through the Aravalli Mountains, the Ranakpur Valley and the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary http://www.princesstrails.com
  • Virendra Singh Shaktawat. nfo@princesstrails.com. daipur. 91-98290-42012. ttp://www.princesstrails.com. Arranges horseback safaris from Udaipur to Ranakpur, around the Aravalli Mountains and through the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary. Contact also for jeep safaris, night drives and nature hikes around Ranakpur.</do>

    Get out

    A local bus to Udaipur stops right outside the Ranakpur temple every hour and costs Rs 45. The journey back to Udaipur takes around 3 hours.

    You may go by bus to Mount Abu, a relaxing, peaceful hill resort. A nice place to rest and hike. A bus goes every 30 minutes to Sandera, from there busses leave to Mt. Abu or Abu Road (27km downhill from Mt. Abu, around 200Rs for uphill taxi).