Jhalrapatan--In search of Lost time

sculpture Shantinath Temple Jhalrapatan

Painted sculpture Shantinath Temple Jhalrapatan

Dipak(L) n Rajendra--ancient to contemporary

Shantinath Temple sculpture

Jhalrapatan has an ambiance that allows time to slow and the life to magnify. I walked the beautiful old streets--they are more like the old Italian cobbled streets where you feel that a Roman Legion's footfalls have died down a while ago. As I walked to arrive from Sun Temple to Shantinath Jain temple I found a neat sweet shop tucked in a corner. I walked in to a welcome from the owner. Indian sweets are delight in taste and in variety, and like a greedy child i eyed different sweets. I asked for small helping of rabadi then went on to another and yet another. With the nice taste in mouth I landed on the doors of Shantinath Temple. The doorway painted in oil paint with images and arabesque in warm pleasing welcoming colours, I entered the temple and was greeted by some temple officials who were busy writing in their laarge notebooks or bahis. the temple was constructed in 11th century by Shah Pipa. The temple is a living heritage. The sculptures on the temple are a novelty of artistic creation. I discovered that the breasts of the female figures were rendered in two types of stones--white and red. the round red coloured stone is pasted over white stone. In no other temple I have seen this kind of multicoloured stone use.

in the corridor on the outer front wall of Shantinath temple are neat, spruced small rooms for the devotees who come from long distances and must lodge overnight. The old world of hospitality continues in living temples of India. Clean whitewashed houses stand as history book of past in the streets and modern and ancient breathe together without any contradiction. A cybercafe rubs shoulder with a temple, flower seller comes with fresh flowers for offerings to gods to begin another day thanking God for the sun, moon, earth and sky and of course life.

As I walked leisurely near Shantinath temple i see this large high ceilinged books and stationery shop. I asked the young owner for a book on Jhalawar by historian Lalit Sherma. Deepak Podwal the owner tries to find the book but could not. I enter into conversation with him on the temple sculptures and architecture of 11the century Jain temple. I also meet a gentleman by name Rajendra who is student in the Engineering College in Jhalawar. Jhalawar has lately got many professional education colleges and is now a place where young men and women meet and live in the town to educate themselves to improve their and India's prospects in a modern world. Rajendra is full of bonhomie and pure white energy.

I intend to meet them as I visit the town again to further study the art and architecture of the area.