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Temple porn in Ranakpur
Asia » India » Rajasthan » Ranakpur
October 25th 2009 by shaun dellavedova, The Big One
This blog, without a doubt, will be the shortest entry to date, most because I only spent about 45 minutes in Ranakpur. Edwina had not been feeling well for a couple of days and just couldn't face the idea of a seven hour bus ride from Jodhpur to Udiapur and wanted to get a taxi. Rebecca, Allie and I were each happy to chip in the 700 rupees each to join her and gain a smoother, quicker ride and an hour extra sleep in.
The road from Jodhpur is quite a good one and almost immediately the countryside began to show more signs of life. I suspect that Jodhpur is located where it is because it is the last stop before the true desert starts. The predominant colours went from brown and yellow to green and yellow as there was constantly more scrub and the place has some of the feel of the savannas in Africa. As we kept going the land became cultivated, even if it looks like the farmers were grown rocks (or at least patiently waiting for the next rains.
After about four hours of driving, hills gradually appeared on the horizon, breaking the monotony of the flat landscape of the last week. the hills are tree lined, if not quite wooded, but having so many trees was a bit of a shock after the desert. These trees, in the height of fall colours (some leaves are yellow, this is certainly not New Hampshire or Maine) provide a beautiful backdrop for a magnificent Jain temple, located in Ranakpur and about 85km from Udiapur. Our tour leader, Sanjay, had organized for the driver to stop here for a break and a tour around.
The first Jain temple that I had ever been in was in Jaisalmer, but it has nothing on this place. It is just amazing. The main temple, is a massive, airy complex, with over 1,000 pillars, each of the different, supporting the roof. The carving is just exquisite, all done in the white marble that is on the surface of the temple, inside and out. The central shrine, a four sided area with Buddhas in each side, was surrounded by worshippers making their midday prayers and had some very cool art done with rice. The Buddhas in Jain temples are in much better condition than in Buddhist temples; Jain Buddhas have wide shoulders and narrow waists, as compared to the usual pot-bellied Buddha. In this temple the Buddhas also have reflective eyes, which is a little eerie.
After a good look around I headed over the the other temple in the grounds, this one much smaller. It is also covered in carvings of people having sex in a lot of different poses. I was told that one possible reason for the erotic carvings on the outside of the temple was that people would come to see them for a laugh and the priests hoped they would stay for a religious service. I don't think that the current rating agencies would look too kindly on this kind of advertising. Especially where kids could see it.
As I said at the start of this blog, I am keeping it short. The stories are really all to be told in the pictures attached. If you are in the area, this is definitely worth a look and even as a day trip from Udiapur, it is worth it. And now onward to Udiapur.
Part of trip: The Big One
4 Comments - Add Public Comment or Send Private Message
October 31st 2009 - Rishabh Sancheti: objection to the term 'porn'
I object to the use of the term 'porn'. I wonder, travelling so widely as you (Shaun) have, if you were able to gather that a bunch of stones with some artistic value and archeological heritage as it may seem to you, may be the objects of devotion and respect for several others.
For ready reference, read the following definitions of 'porn' from credible sources:
Pornography or porn is the depiction of explicit sexual subject matter for the purpose of sexually exciting the viewer.
Pornography: creative activity (writing or pictures or films etc.) of no literary or artistic value other than to stimulate sexual desire
In the world that we coexist, we all enjoy 'free speech and expression'. But violations of others' (freedom, expression, conscience and belief) are to be best avoided, and necessarily so, so as to render a self-sustaining model of 'we co-exist in love, peace and harmony' workable.
If you feel it would be good to remove that term, please do so.
Best,
Rishabh Sancheti
European Master in Law and Economics.
Erasmus Mundus Scholar.
LL.M., Universität Hamburg.
Diploma di Master Universitario di I livello in Law and Economics, Universita Degli Studi Di Bologna.
LL.M., Universität Wien.
B.B.A.-LL.B. (Honors) (Cum Laude), National Law University, India.
Rishabh,
While I accept your objection to the use of the term porn, I am not going to change it. If you have read many of my blogs, you should know that I use a combination of humor and hyperbole all the time and this was no different. In no way was I intending to imply that the images carved on the temple are similar to modern pornography, or used for sexual gratification, but I think that many readers have a better idea of what is carved on the walls when I use the term porn and this is my reason for the use of the word.
Regards,
Shaun
November 13th 2009 - Ali: hah, cyber-stalked!
Great blog Shaun - you write so well, and I'm amazed at everything that you can remember! Look forward to seeing more :-)
November 18th 2009 - Rupak Sarkar: Jain temples do not Buddha
In your beautifully written blog, I did find one mistake that I would like you to correct.
Buddhism and Jainism are totally different religions, that co-existed for thousands of years. But I dont think they had any common holy being. Buddhist rever and worship Buddha and his reincarnations. Jains rever and worship their 24 tirthankaras (enlightened ascetics). In Jain temples you will find the idols of their 24 tirthankaras, especially Mahavira the last tirthankar. Its not Buddha's statue that you found in the Jain temples, it was most probably Mahavir's. Please refer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism and many more articles on Jainism.
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