Name: Jaipur
Rating: 3.4

Moti Dungri Temple, Jaipur Overview

Moti Dungri Temple in Jaipur is located on a small hillock and is bordered by Moti Dungri Fort. In spite of being a cultural landmark, Moti Dungri Fort cannot be viewed by the public as it is privately owned. However, the temple itself is a testimony to the progress of the architecture of Indian subcontinent. It is spread over an area of two kilometres and is adorned by three domes that purportedly represent the three major religions in India.

Apart from the intricate stone carving, the temple is known for its exquisite latticework with mythological images engraved on the marble, which offer a splendid view for art-lovers. The most beautiful part of the structure is that it resembles an old Scottish castle. The temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesha and houses the idol of deity that is purportedly 500 years. The temple itself was built in 1761 under the watchful eye of Seth Jai Ram Pallival.

History of the temple

The temple is situated at the top of the Moti Dungri hill of Jaipur, surrounded by the Moti Dungri Fort. The idol of Ganesha established here is believed to be 500 years old and was brought here by Seth Jai Ram Pallival who was accompanying Maharaja Madho Singh I; who was the ruler of the state of Jaipur then; from Udaipur. The Maharaja received this idol from Gujarat and had taken it to Udaipur. The Ganesha idol was brought at Moti Dungri in 1761 and the temple was built sometimes after.

Architecture of the Temple

The Moti Dungri Temple is widely acclaimed for the architectural and spiritual point of view. Spanned over an area of nearly 2 kilometres, the Ganesha Temple is known for its pattern work on marbles that are engraved with legendary descriptions. There are three domes in the temple which represent a combination of Indian, Islamic and Western symbols. The Moti Dungri Temple of Ganesha is also famous among the tourists for its scenic view and the picturesque as well as the breathtaking location where it is located on. The chief responsibility of the architecture and designing was given to Seth Jai Ram Pallival and also the Chief Priest of the King of Mewar, Mahant Shiv Narayan Ji. The Construction of the temple with the finest stone and the exquisite marbles of Rajasthan was completed in 4 months time period.

Legend of the Temple

Temple is backed with a very interesting story of the King of Mewar. Old folks living here state that once the king was returning from a journey along with the statue of Lord Ganesha. He committed that no matter where his bullock cart gets stopped, he will build a temple there. With the Grace of God, the cart stopped at the bottom of the Dungri. Then the Temple was built under the order of the King and inspection of Seth Jai Ram Pallival and today it stands tall with full glory.

Importance of the temple

The Moti Dungri temple is one of the biggest Ganesha Temples in Jaipur. Thousands of devotees visit the temple daily. According to stats, nearly 1.25 lakh devotees visit the temple every year. According to Hinduism, Lord Ganesha is the Lord of Mercury, therefore the temple follows Wednesday to be the Day of Ganesha and arranges a large fair inside the temple Complex in order to mark the regard.

The temple complex also has a Shiva linga which opens on the night of Maha Shivaratri. This makes the Temple unique because this is the only Ganesha Temple in India that can also be visited by the Shaivas, who are the devotees of Lord Shiva. It is one of the numerous sects of Hinduism and comprises of the followers of Lord Shiva. In the Southern Part of the temple, a temple dedicated to Lakshmi and Narayana is also present on a small hill. It is named as the ‘Birla Mandir’ or the ‘Birla Temple.’