The Lodhurva Jain Temple is a Jain temple in the Lodhruva village of Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan.

History

Lodhruva was established as the capital by Rawal Deoraj, the Bhati clan, in the 8th and 9th centuries AD. The temple was built in the 9th century along with the city of Lodhruva. Rawal Jaisal, a famous prince of the Bhati clan, moved his capital from Lodhruva to Jaisalmer in 1156 CE. The temple was also looted by Mahmud of Ghazni and Muhammad of Ghor. This led to the destruction of the temple in 1152 CE. In 1615 CE, the temples underwent repairs and renovations. The temple remains the only standing structure in the ruined city of Lodhruva.

About temple

Lodhurva is one of the important Jain centers. The temple is built with yellow limestone and sandstone; famous for intricate craftsmanship. The temple features an ornate torana (arched entrance door) and stone carvings of Kalpavriksha and kalputra. The Lodhurva Jain temple is considered one of the best examples of Jain architecture in Rajasthan. According to William Guy, the temple’s walls are accordion-like folded and feature exquisite carved jali screens.

The mulnayak (chief deity) of the temple is a black marble idol of Parshvanatha with a canopy of a thousand hoods over his head. In the Shvetambara tradition, idols tend to derive their name from a geographical region, the lodhurva Parshvanath is one of the prominent 108 idols of Parshvanath idols.

According to Jain belief, a snake comes out of a hole in the temple every night to drink the milk offering. According to popular belief, the sight of this snake is a blessing. There is a ritual for people to visit the shrine after marriage.

Fair

A fair is organized here in the month of Pausha, the event attracts a large number of devotees.