Hanumantal Jain Temple

About the Hanumantal Jain temple

The temple stands right on the edge of Hanumantal, and the water is part of how the place feels. It is a historic foundation with architecture closer to a palace than to a plain shrine, carrying both a shikhar and a dome, and the lake in front of it supplies a cool breeze and an open view that most urban temples do not have.

It is counted among the Atishay Kshetras, the places of miracle in the Jain tradition, which is why it draws pilgrims as well as visitors who come for the building. The temple is open twenty-four hours. With the recitation of the Bhaktamar Stotra going on, there is a distinct charge to the atmosphere inside, and that, more than any single object, is what people describe afterwards.

What to notice

The palace-like architecture

The temple is built with the look of a palace, combining a shikhar with a dome. It is worth walking around the exterior before going in, since the massing reads differently from each side.

The lake frontage

Hanumantal lies directly in front of the temple, giving an open view and a breeze off the water. The frontage is the reason this site feels different from other temples in the old city.

Bhaktamar Stotra recitation

The recitation of the Bhaktamar Stotra is part of the life of the temple and gives the interior its atmosphere. Sitting through some of it is the better way to experience the place than a quick circuit.

Planning your visit

Because the temple is open around the clock, you can fit it in at almost any hour, which is unusual for a Jabalpur city site.

• Remove footwear and dress modestly; leather items are best left outside at a Jain temple.
• Early morning and evening are the best times for both the recitation and the breeze off the lake.
• Ask before photographing inside, and avoid it during worship.
• Combine with Kachnar City and the Rani Durgavati Museum on a city half day.

Best time to visit

October to March is the pleasantest for standing by the lake, and early morning or the hour after sunset are the best times on any day, when the air off the water is cool and recitation is under way. Jain festival days bring large numbers of pilgrims and a very different, much busier experience.