# Idar

Idar is in North Gujarat. It is known for the manufacture of handmade wooden toys, tiles, its temples and various beautiful architectural monuments on its hills, and its historical background.

## Understand

Idar is at the southern end of the Aravalli Range.
Idar is a region which has become a hub for cotton ginning and processing. It also has a very strong network of dairy co-operatives which helps it stay firm on an economic footing in years where the rains are not good.

## Get in

* 23.8345731 Idar Bus Stand.

## See

* Ramaleshvar Lake. This lake is said to have been built by Rao Ranmal, with its western bank covered with picturesque domed cupolas, chhatris, raised over the ashes of the forefathers of the leading Idar families.
* Shantinath Shwetambar Jain Dersar: It is placed on Idar Gadh almost 450 steps. Very ancient and historical temple with full of architectural marvel. Revered place for Jain Community. Chief idol of Shantinath is believed to be old of the Maurya Era.
* 23.85247273.0053841 Idar Fort. The town was surrounded by a brick wall in the past which had three gateways named Mira Darwaja, Dhuleta Darwaja, marked with many red hands each recording a victim to the rite of sati. Inside of the wall, a road, running round the town, leads to the Gantino Darwajo, a rock-cut passage giving access to the main route to Rajasthan in past. Only a portion of the fortification is present now.
* 23.84573573.0024532 Clock Tower. The starting of old town.
* Chaturbhuj Stepwell, an ancient stone stepwell
* Idargadh palaces: At the end of the town and immediately under the hill is the palace, a large building with no architectural pretensions. The palace is said to have been built by Maharaja Dowlatsinhji in early twentieth century.
** Behind the palace, on the south-western face of the range of hills, which joins the Vindhya and Aravalli Range, rises Idargadh, so steep, rocky, and well fortified, that according to the local saying, to take Idargadh is to achieve the impossible. So, a famous folk song was mostly sung in traditional marriages, Áme Êderio Gadh Ĵitya Re Aanand Bhayo (We are very happy that we have conquered Idar Fort).
** From the palace a steep and easily held pathway leads through more than one gateway and fortified work to the fortress plateau, a table land raised well above the plain surrounded by heights, and with the gaps in the crest filled in and strengthened by ramparts.
** From below, two buildings, on opposite peaks, attract attention. The other building, on an enormous granite peak to the right, domed and of fine stone, lately smothered with whitewash, is known as the Roothi Rani no Mahel or Angry Queen's Palace. It measures 25 feet long by 19 broad and 12 feet high. The story is that when Rao Narayanji or Narandas (1573) driven from Idar by Akbar, took refuge in Polo forests, in spite of a terrible ulcer on his back, he continued to harass the Musalmans. One day, when his back was being dressed, his Rani came into the room, and, seeing the fearful sore, mournfully shook her head. Noticing this in a mirror, the Rao asked why she shook her head. She said 'from what I see I have no hope that you will regain your lost throne.' This so annoyed her husband that he left the house, and, afterward, when he retook Idar, he refused to see the Rani's face. Disgusted at this treatment, and unwilling to live in her husband's palace, the Rani had a dwelling built on the highest peak of the hill and there passed the rest of her life. Some centuries after, this palace was the scene of a cruel assassination. Surajmal, Thakor of Chandni who had saved Idar from the Marathas, was so puffed up by his success that he gave great offence, especially to Bhavanisingh the son and heir- apparent of the old Maharaja Shivsingh. Bent on revenge the prince invited Surajmal to a feast, and, under pretence of inspecting the fort, took him up to the Angry Queen's Palace and there killed him. The way into the fort is by a stone paved pathway, the stone slippery and polished from the wear of ages. Passing under more or less ruined gateways the pathway leads to a part of the hill between, and much lower than, the two peaks.
* Following the path, on the right hand is a house built by the late Maharaja after a Mount Abu pattern. There are some ruins said to be remains of the Raos' old palace. Further on is a well-preserved freestone.
* The Queen's palace is rather difficult to reach, as, besides climbing to the top of the peak, a high smooth narrow granite ridge, unsafe for booted feet, has to bo crossed.
* Sheela Udyan. A rock garden.
* Harishchandra Ki Chouri, where Raja Harishchandra got married
* Kharadi Bazaar, the market of toys

### Temples

* Shantinath Shwetambar Temple:This temple belongs to the Śvetāmbara Jain sect and dedicated to Shantinath, the sixteenth Tirthankara. This temple, measuring 160 feet by 125 and 55 high.Chief Idol of Lord Shantinath is evidently of considerable age of Maurya Era- King Samprati, 2300 years old. Kumarpal maharaja renovated it with the preaching of Kalikalsarvagya Hemchandracharya in the 11th century. In the 15th-16th century, the temple was again renovated. Its last and grand Jirnodhhar/Renovation was done by Samast Shwetambar Murtipujak Jain Sangh in the 1970 Vikram Samvat by the blessings of Kamalsuriji and Labdhisuriji. Shankheshwar tirth pedhi has given considerable amount. This is revered place for Jains. The temple have marvellous structure and architecture. Temple is form in 52 jinalayas
* Sambhavanath Temple : Sambhavanath Temple is a Digambara Jain sect and dedicated to Sambhavanath, the third Tirthankara. This seems of even greater age than the other, but, like it, bears no date.
* Within the limits of the fort, with a wall and terraces in front, is a natural cavern 28 feet by 18 ft 7 in high, containing an image of Vajra Mata a goddess worshipped by Hindus of all castes. The whole of the hill is surrounded with more or less ruined fortifications. To the rear are the remains of a fortified gateway, opening on the plain behind, a way of escape for the too hard-pressed defenders of the fort. It was through this gateway that Maharaja Anandsingji fled in 1733 and was attacked and slain by a party of Rehvar horse. The interior of the hill-fort, or rather fortified hill, is very striking from the dense brushwood by which the ruins are more or less hid. Perhaps the finest view is near Shambhavnath's temple, whence, looking towards the Angry Queen's Palace, the sheer scarp of the great granite peak, towering above the trees, stands clear against the sky.
* Rani Talav, a lake, half a mile to the north-east of Idar, has an area of ninety-four acres and a greatest depth of seventeen feet. Its supply lasts throughout the year but is used for irrigation. The east side of the lake is banked with masonry steps. It is said, but this is doubtful, to have been dug and built about 380 years ago by the wife of Rao Bhau, chief of Idar. The Pavapuri Jain temple of Swetambar sect built in the centre of the lake which can be reached by a bridge. The main temple is around 72 feet high, 72 feet long and is built on 72 pillars. The height of central idol of Mahavira is 72 cm which is surrounded by 72 carved figurines.
* Shrimad Rajchandra Vihar, a Jain temple complex on eastern hillock dedicated to Shrimad Rajchandra.
* Swaminarayan temple: raised at a cost of about £5000 (Rs. 50,000) around the 1870s.
* Cave temple of Khokhanath Mahadev, 30 feet long feet high, supposed to bo upwards of 400 years old. On a rising ground, south of the town and close to the wall, is the cave temple of Dhaneshvar Mahadev, a natural rock cavern 20 feet long by 10 broad and 5-7 high. Three-quarters of a mile south-west of the town, on a rising ground, is the cave of Mankaleshvar Mahadev, 20 feet long by 12 broad and 5-10 feet high.
* Haveli: A temple belonging to the Vallabhacharya sect, completed around 1878 at a cost of about £2000 (Rs. 20,000).
* Ranmal's Choki or guardroom, seems to be an unfinished Jain temple, the building of which was stopped after the flat stone ceiling had been put on.

### Nearby

* 23.73719473.1989173 Juna Bhavnath Temple, Mau, Near Mau viilage (6 km away from Bhiloda). This 1300-year-old temple has a reservoir, kund, named Bhrigukund which believed to cure leprosy if bathed in its water. There is a temple dedicated to Shiva and temple dedicated to the son of Bhrigu, Avan Rishi. The place is situated on the banks of Hathmati river dam. The fair is organised on the last Monday of Shraavana month of Hindu calendar and on Mahashivratri which is visited by large number of people. Free.

## Sleep

* 23.830972.98951 Hotel Rajdeep. AC rooms and restaurant. 2 double beds room ₹2500, 1 double bed room ₹1500. (updated Oct 2024)