Jagat Shiromani Temple,Jaipur

By Prateek Nayak | 2021

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1. Entrance to temple. “Known as the Krishna Meera temple among the locals, the Jagat Shiromani Temple is located in Amber near Jaipur. Built-in 1608 AD by the wife of King Man Singh I, the ornate temple is the best specimen of early 17th-century architecture. The entrance to the temple is from an intricately carved arched gateway (Torana) which is flanked by elephants.”

2. View of gateway from inside temple. Note buildings in background. “The temple was built by Queen Kankawati who was the queen of Raja Man Singh I and the temple was built in memory her son Jagat Singh.” Temple work started in 1599 and completed in 1608. Temple made of marble, black stone and sandstone.

3. Images on gateway. Left top shows man and woman on camel. Left bottom shows man and woman (lady is holding what might be flowers). Centre lady holding hand of a child, note her hairstyle and eye-lashed. On her left is a kalash. Note her necklace & what is tied round the waist. Left lower is man with a child. Left upper is lady with 4 hands, animal at feet level may be cow.

4. Entrance gateway (made from a single piece of marble), side view. Couple. Note ornamentation at waist level. Man holding snake in hand. Next lady animal looks like a cow. Lady kept her hand on man shoulder. Man seems to have a weapon in hand that he holds through a rope.

5. Backside of gateway. Man has a bow and arrow. Lady has a fan in her hand.

6. Note intricate work on gateway (torana).

7. Centre is gateway, in that is Garuda chhatri, left is shrine. Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Shree Krishna and Meera Bai. Jagat Shiromani means Head Jewel of the murti of Lord Vishnu.

8. Front Garuda Chhatri, temple sanctum on 1st floor & shikhar is carved. “The temple has a resemblance to the temples of South India. It has a Mandapa, Mahamandapa, and Garbhgriha crowned by a Shikhar. Depiction from Hindu scriptures adorn ceilings of the temple.” The Mandapam is two-layered. “The pillared mandapa has lacteral trancepts with vaulted ceiling bear the paintings.”

9. Close up of Garuda Chhatri. It has torans on four sides, often seen in temples of Gujarat for e.g. Sun Temple Modhera. For any errors in captions do mail me shall correct, am not an expert on iconography.

10. Murtis on pillars of Garuda Chhatri. Note workmanship.

11. First floor of temple view. Ornamented pillars, right is gateway (toran). Centre is small temple. It is said that the murti of Sri Krishna in this temple is the one which Meera Bai worshipped. Meera Bai was a devout follower of Sri Krishna and wife of the Maharana of Mewar. This murti was saved during the Mughal attack on Mewar and then brought here.

12. Left looks like Lord Vishnu. Right note necklace and bangles. Has two children, one in hand another lower in pic.

13. Close up of more sculptures.

14. Chhatri ceiling. Must be ornamented one like others. Now not much is seen. Note the torans on either side.

15. Now come to main temple. Plinth has 3 levels. Starts with horses, elephants and probably fish (not sure). Temple sanctum has 2 murtis sets. Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi. Shri Krishna and Meera Bai.

16. Temple Shikhar. The King performed marriage ceremony of Shri Krishna and Meera Bai here. Per video if Shri Krishna murti would be with Radha or Rukhmani then murtis would be like Vishnu and Lakshmi. Entrance to sanctum has lots of carvings like most temples.

17. Close up of Shikhar, level one. Centre in niche is probably beloved Ganesha.

18. Side view sculptures on Shikhar.

19. Side view Shikhar. Some ladies have musical instruments in their hands.

20. Top – note the kalash.

21. Side view of temple (lower portion). Can see jaali design on windows. Below the chajja, seen in red are men with musical instruments. To see good video 4 minutes on temple https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbAgnGdfNBo

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