Kanch Mandir

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.

Kanch Mandir
  • काँच मंदिर (Hindi)
  • Temple of Glass, Kanch Ka Mandir
Kanch Mandir
Religion
AffiliationJainism
DeityShantinatha
FestivalsMahavir Jayanti
Location
LocationIndore, Madhya Pradesh
Architecture
CreatorSeth Hukumchand
Date established1903
Temple(s)1
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There are other temples in India known as Kanch Ka Mandir. Most of them are Jain temples. These include

  • Kanch Ka Mandir at Kanpur[1]
  • Kanch Ka Mandir at Champanery
  • Kanch Ka Mandir at Mahaveerji
  • Kanch Ka Mandir at Chamatkarji
  • Kanch Ka Mandir at Shivpuri
  • Kanch Ka Mandir at Vrindavan

Kanch Ka Mandir of Seth Hukumchand Jain

Sir Seth Seth Hukumchand Jain was a prominent trader and one of India's industrial pioneer. He built a mansion at Itwaria Bazar[2] 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 mosaics; including the floor, columns, walls and the ceilings.[3] 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.

  • 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 - consecration of the temple with portraits of the family members of Seth Hukumchand.
Jain Temple Katni, inspired by Kach Ka Mandir, Indore

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.[4]

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.[5]

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.[6]

Annual rath-yatra on a golden palaki is taken our from here.[7]

Notes
  1. Uttar Pradesh District Gazetteers: Hamirpur Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, 1959
  2. Kanch Mandir http://wikimapia.org/148432/Kanch-Mandir
  3. Kanch Mandir http://www.indorecity.net/tourist-attractions/kanch-mahal.html
  4. कांच मंदिर इतवारिया से निकलने वाली दिगंबर जैन समाज के महामुनियों की रथयात्रा http://prabhatkiran.com/Webforms/Channel_News_Details.aspx?contentId=2503&masterId=1
  5. दशमी पर महके जैन मंदिर http://www.bhaskar.com/2008/09/11/0809110945_jain_mandir.html
  6. काँच मंदिर पर सामूहिक क्षमावाणी आज http://hindi.webdunia.com/religion/religion/jainism/0809/16/1080916017_1.htm
  7. स्वर्ण रथयात्रा काँच मंदिर से http://hindi.webdunia.com/religion/religion/news/0804/17/1080417034_1.htm
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