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Kanch Ka Mandir of Seth
Hukumchand Jain
Sir Seth Seth Hukumchand Jain was a legendary 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 ornamentations 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.
The more than 50 panels created using muticolored mirror pieces
illustrate:
- Stories from Jain tradition (jain concepts like ashta-karma,
sapta-vyasan etc.)
- Samosharan of Lord Jina and Nadishwar dvipa
- Depiction of major Jain tirthas
- Historic events - consecrecation of the temple with portraits of the
family members of Seth Hukumchand.
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.
Festivals
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.
Getting
There
Atal
Indore City Transport Services Ltd (AICTSL) was set up to operate and
manage the public transport system in Indore. AICTSL provide City Bus
Operation, BRTS Operation, On Call Taxi, Intercity & Roller Buses Volvo,
I-bike Public Bicycles, and I-Ride Rental Bike Service (two-wheeler) in
Indore.
Nearest
airport is Devi Ahilyabai
Holkar Airport (IATA: IDR, ICAO: VAID), a public airport that
principally serves Indore City. It is the busiest airport in the state
of Madhya Pradesh and is located 8 km west of Indore.
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