The famous temple complex of Ranakpur, 90km north of Udaipur, is considered to be one of the five holiest places of the Jainas. The shrines boast wonderful marble works, which put them at a par with those of the more famous Dilwara group at Mount Abu and Shatrunjaya near Palitana in Gujarat.

The main shrine known as Chaumukha temple (four faced temple) is dedicated to Adinath, the first Jaina Tirthankar (the ford maker), whose four-faced image is enshrined in the sanctum sanctorum. It was built in 1439 on land donated to the Jainas by Rana Kumbha of Mewar.

Other temples are dedicated to Parshvanath and Neminath. Also in the compound is a contemporary Hindu temple dedicated to Surya, the Sun god.

Ghanerao

110 km north of Udaipur, Ghanerao is a small town situated in the Pali district of Rajasthan. The place is renowned for its rich heritage, landscape and abundant wildlife.

Ghanerao is replete with step wells, temples and marble archways. There are about eleven Jain temples, some of them quite old. Important places of attraction are the Murlidhai Temple, Laxmi Narainji Temple, Gajanand Temple and Chabhiya Temple. A temple dedicated to Lord Mahadev, located on the outskirts of the town, is also worth a visit. Other points of tourist interest in and around the city include the Kumbhalgarh Sanctuary (18 km), Narlai(30 km), Tapeshwar Mahadev, Charbuja and Adinath temples. You can also undertake Horse safari here.

Best time to visit the town is from October to March

The nearest airport is at Udaipur. Falna Railway Station, on the Delhi-Ahmedabad section of the Western Railways, is just 30 km from the town.

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