Pareshnath Jain Temple in Kolkata - Tips by Howard Hillman

Pareshnath Jain Temple

tips you can trust

Why the 1867
Pareshnath Jain Temple
in Kolkata is special

It's the principal temple in India of the Jains, a religion whose followers are strict vegetarians. The Pareshnath Jain Temple is eye catching and draws many tourists and the faithful.

Pareshnath Jain Temple
tips & insights

A complex

The "temple" is really a complex of four different stand-alone temples. Each is dedicated to a different tirthankar, an ancient Jain teacher who attained enlightenment.

Main Temple

It is the most visually striking and is dedicated to Sitalanath, the 10th tirthankar. The two-carat diamond in the forehead of his seated statue was stolen in 2009, which created a big fuss.

Serene aura

It exists, but a visitor has to be there early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the tour bus crowds are absent.

Design

No one has ever accused the Pareshnath Jain Temple as being subtle. Its architecture and decorative elements abound with eye candy including mirror-inlaid columns, vivid stained glass windows, and European statuary outside.

Visitors see the result in different ways. To many, the designs are magnificent and exciting. To others, they are kitschy and unrefined, but interesting.

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