Jagdish Temple is a large Hindu temple in the middle of Udaipur in Rajasthan, just outside the royal palace. It has been in continuous worship since 1651. A big tourist attraction, the temple was originally called the temple of Jagannath Rai but is now called Jagdish-ji. It is a major monument in Udaipur.
This three-storied temple is a wonder of architecture that comprises beautifully carved pillars, decorated ceilings, painted walls and lush halls. In those times, 1.5 million rupees were spent to raise this structure. The spire of the main temple is around 79 feet high that undoubtedly dominates the skyline of Udaipur. This shikhar (spire) is festooned with sculptures of dancers, elephants, horsemen and musicians making it truly a sight to behold.
As and when you approach the temple, you will be welcomed by two huge stone elephants at the entrance. On the very front of the temple, you would find a stone slab that is imprinted with the inscriptions with reference to Maharaja Jagat Singh. To reach the main shrine, you have to take a marble flight of 32 steps. Here, you will find a brass image of Garuda, a figure of half-man and half-eagle. This huge idol stands as if; it is guarding the doorway of Lord Vishnu.
This temple is built in the Indo-Aryan style of architecture. This three-storied temple is a wonder of architecture that comprises beautifully carved pillars, decorated ceilings, painted walls and lush halls. The first and the second storey of the temple possess 50 pillars each and all have magnificent carvings which add to temple beauty. The spire of the main temple is around 79 feet high that undoubtedly dominates the skyline of Udaipur. Sculptures of dancers, elephants, horsemen and musicians adorn the shikhar (spire). This temple was built keeping in the mind the Hindu architectural science of 'Vastushstra'.
At the entrance, visitors are welcomed by two huge stone elephants. A stone slab that is imprinted with the inscriptions referring to Maharana Jagat Singh is located in front of the temple. To reach the main shrine, one has to take a marble flight of 32 steps. The doorway of Lord Vishnu is guarded by a brass image of Garuda, the celestial bird. The main shrine houses the striking four-armed black stone image of Lord Vishnu. There are four smaller shrines encircled the main shrine and are dedicated to Lord Ganesha, Sun God, Goddess Shakti and Lord Shiva respectively.
