Huteesing Jain Temple: The Jain Temple That’s Home to a Manasthamba (2024)
The Huteesing Jain Temple is in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in dedication to the Lord Dharmanatha, the fifteenth Jain Tirthankar. The temple plays a culturally important role in the history of Ahmedabad and Gujarat. Commissioned by a wealthy Gujarat, various skilled artisans built it for about eight lakhs, a big amount even back then. The construction took place during the famine, so the money kept hundreds of artisans employed during the famine. The exact location of the Huteesing Jain Temple is at Shahibaug Road, Bardolpura, Madhupara in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
The Huteesing Jain Temple Structure & Architecture
The Huteesing Jain temple is a singularly unique structure and looks very different than any of the religious locations you might see in Gujarat. It has the shape of a large pillar and is double-storied. The temple has about 11 deities in the two stories. The moolnayak or the main idol is a marble image of the Lord Dharmanatha.
The unique architecture of the Huteesing Jain temple is the Manasthamba, a column of honor. It takes its inspiration from the Jain Manastambha in Rajasthan. The Manasthamba has an idol of the Lord Mahavira. All over, from the domes to the walls and the pillars, you will see the spell-binding architecture that is a visual treat and an experience that you can have if you visit the Jain temple. Some of the shrine areas have a pointed dome type of architecture, which is again, unique to the other religious places in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and other destinations in the vicinity. Some online portals have called temple as Hathee Singh Jain Temple.
There is one legend about the Huteesing Jain Temple, that a lamp is burning below the sanctum sanctorum for more than 170 years.
Urban development and buildings surround the temple structure, but the authorities have done a great job of giving a separate space for the Huteesing Jain Temple. That you can experience such serenity right in the middle of the city is a fantastic experience in itself. The main temple structure has 52 Shikaras surrounding it. Most of the Huteesing Jain Temple area underwent renovations in 2004. On some of the Shikaras, you see carvings of animals that look like monkeys.
You can spend about an hour at the Huteesing Jain temple, exploring the various shrines and the architecture that’s a must-see for history buffs and fans of ancient architecture. Photography as well as videography is not allowed inside the temple premises.
Places To Visit Near Huteesing Jain Temple
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Huteesing Jain Temple is in Ahmedabad, and there are other destinations of tourist interest that you can visit. You also have the Sultan Ahmed Shah Mosque and the Bhadra Fort nearby. These destinations are around 5 KM away from the Huteesing Jain temple. You can visit the Dada Harir Stepwell or the Delhi Darwaza. Frankly, you have more than twenty places of tourist interest, all in the 5 KM periphery of the Huteesing Jain Temple. You’d need to check which destinations you can visit and which ones you’d like to skip.
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Ahmedabad is one of the few cities that has a historical as well as a mythological connection to India. Mahatma Gandhi, who experts consider the father of the Indian Freedom struggle was born in Sabarmati. You can visit the Sabarmati Ashram, where Gandhiji spent a lot of his time. You also have the Sabarmati river and the riverbank that you can go to when you are in Ahmedabad.
Hotels Near Huteesing Jain Temple
And of course, there are several hotels in Ahmedabad that cater to tourists with all budgets., You will have hotels that offer rooms for about 1000 INR per day, and the price goes up to about 4000 INR.
The dormitory system is becoming popular in tourism cities. You can get a cot and a storage space for as little as 100 rupees per day. While these are the rockbottom ones that won’t be the final word in comfort, you can get dormitory rooms that offer comfort on a budget for anything between 300 to 500 rupees. You can book these dormitories for a single day or for more. One disadvantage of the dormitory system is that not all of them offer you food arrangements, and some of them might have a time limit for you to return to the dorm at night. There are some dormitories that offer accommodation for men and women and some are exclusive to either gender. Some of the hotels near Huteesing that you can check out are the Hotel Jasraj, the Hotel One Up, and the Hotel Sagar Inn.
How to Reach Huteesing Jain Temple
Ahmedabad connects well to other cities and states via road, air, and rail. It has an international airport, Sardar Vallabhai Patel Airport, and connects well to cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, and others. The Ahmedabad railway station connects well to other locations as well.
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Ahmedabad is on NH8, and you will see State Transport buses, as well as private buses, run on this route, making travel to Ahmedabad all that easier.