Kanch Ka Mandir
| Kanch Mandir | |
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Kanch Mandir
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| Basic information | |
| Location | Indore, Madhya Pradesh |
| Affiliation | Jainism |
| Festivals | Mahavir Jayanti |
| Architectural description | |
| Creator | Seth Hukumchand |
| Date established | 1903 |
| Temple(s) | 1 |
Kanch Ka Mandir (Hindi: काँच मंदिर), literally Temple of Glass, is a famous Jain temple in Indore, built by Sir Seth Hukumchand Jain. The construction began sometime around 1903.
There are other temples in India known as Kanch Ka Mandir. Most of them are Jain temples. These include
Sir Seth Seth Hukumchand Jain was a prominent trader and one of India's industrial pioneer. He built a mansion at Itwaria Bazar called Shish Mahal and adjacent to it the Kanch Ka Mandir, both elegantly built using a white stone. Externally, the temple is built as a medieval mansion complete with a canopied balcony and a shikhara.
The interior of Kanch Ka Mandir is entirely covered by glass panels and mozaics; including the floor, columns, walls and the ceilings. Seth Hukumchand hired craftsmen from Jaipur and some even from Iran to work on the temple. The ornamentation follow the old and medieval Jain style, with the major innovation being the use of multicolored glass and mirrors.
In the main Garbhagriha, the idols of the Tirthankaras are flanked by mirrors on both sides, thus their images are seen infinite times.
Photography of the interior is generally prohibited.
The temple serves as a central institution for Indore Jains, some processions start or terminate at the Kach Ka Mandir.
Jain festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm at the Kach Ka Mandir. On Sugandh Dashami, special mandalas are constructed using multi-colored rice-powder.
Collective kshamavani (festival of forgiveness) in Indore is organized here as a central institution, even though it is also celebrated at other Indore Jain temples.
Annual rath-yatra on a golden palaki is taken our from here.
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