Temples in Jaisalmer

Though a majority of tourists flock to Jaisalmer considering it a tourist destination, the city is also revered as a religious attraction. There are several temples in Jaislamer that have both religious and historic importance. These temples boast of amazing architecture and shows one a true picture of the religious, cultural, political and economic history of Jaisalmer. One must not leave Jaisalmer without visiting these temples whether for religious reasons or not.

Famous Temples in Jaisalmer

Jain Temples

The Jain Temples are situated inside the Jaisalmer Fort and date back to the 12th and 15th centuries. The temples are dedicated to the Jain tirthankaras or hermits (Rikhabdevji, Paraswanathji and Sambhavnathji). In total, there are seven temples, each of which belong to the Swetambar Sect and are home to a few of the most ecstatic stone sculptures.

Chandraprabhu is dedicated to the eighth tirthankar and is the first temple to be entered. The temple was established in 1509 with the mandapa holding fine sculpture, the intensely sculpted pillars of which form a series of toranas. The Rikhabdev temple is situated to the right of the Chandraprabhu temple, behind which is the Parasnath temple. A door to the south ends into a small temple named Shitalnath, which is dedicated to the 10th tirthankar. The Shantinath temple and the Kunthunath temple are the two other remaining of the Jain Temples.

A huge chain of corridors connecting all the seven temples with numerous captions and stone sculptures is one of the key features of this religious place.

Address: Inside the Jaisalmer Fort, Jaisalmer
Phone: +91-2992-252406
Timings: Early morning till 12 noon.

Lodurva Temple

The Lodurva Temple is a key tourist attraction of Jaisalmer well-known for housing the ruins of Jain temples. Lodarva was the ancient capital of the Bhati Rajputs and is famous for its Jain temples made of yellow sandstone. The walls of the Lodurva Temple are decorated with the pictures of Lord Parsvanath, the 23rd Jain Tirthankar, while the intricate Jaali works are worth observing.

The key attractions of this temple are the ruins, the numerous peacocks and the peacock dance as well as the Kalpataru, a mythical tree of wish fulfillment.

Address: Outskirts of Jaisalmer, 16 kilometers northwest of city.
Timings: Any time from dawn to dusk.

Lakshminath Temple

Situated inside the Jaisalmer Fort, the Lakshminath temple is dedicated to the Goddess of wealth Lakshmi and her husband Lord Vishnu. The temple was built during the reign of Rao Lunkaran in the year 1494, and was later renovated by Maharaja Ganga Singh Ji. A Brahmin named Sen Pal Shakdvipi installed the Lakshmi and Vishnu idols in the temple, which is one of the oldest shrines in the city of Jaisalmer.

Address: Inside the Jaisalmer Fort
Timings: Daily 6:00am to 6:00pm.

Tanot Mata Temple

The Tanot Mata Temple is located near India’s border with Pakistan in Jaisalmer District. Goddess Tanot is said to be the incarnation of Goddess Hinglaz, whose temple is situated in Baluchistan’s Lasvela district. The foundation of Goddess Tanot was kept in 847 AD and thereafter an idol was installed. The temple is being taken care of by generations of Bhati Rajputs.

There is an interesting story about this temple. It is believed that during the 1965’s Indo-Pakistan War, the Pakistani Army dropped several bombs at the temple but none of them hit the target, while several bombs aimed at the temple’s surrounding region did not explode at all.

Address: 120 kilometers from Jaisalmer, Village Tanot, Thar Desert, Jaisalmer
Timings: Daily 5:00am to 8:00pm