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The 'Soniji Ki Nasiyan' Jain temple in Ajmer is dedicated to:
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Answer: Option B — Lord Rishabhdev (Adinath)
Detailed Solution
The "Soniji Ki Nasiyan" Jain temple in Ajmer, Rajasthan, is dedicated to Lord Rishabhdev (Rishabhanatha or Adinath), the first Jain Tirthankara.
About Soniji Ki Nasiyan:
It is a Digambar Jain temple.
It was built by Rai Bahadur Seth Moolchand Soni, a wealthy Jain merchant of Ajmer. Construction began in 1864 and the main temple was completed in 1865.
It is officially called "Siddhakoot Chaityalaya", and is also known as the "Lal Mandir" (Red Temple) because it is built of red sandstone.
Its main attraction is the "Swarna Nagari" (Golden City) hall, built later (1870-1895).
This double-storey hall contains a large and very detailed model, made of gilded wood covered with gold leaf, depicting the Jain concept of the universe (cosmology), including "Ayodhya", the birthplace of Rishabhdev, and "Sumeru Parvat" (the central mountain of the Jain universe).
The model also shows the five auspicious events ("Panch Kalyanak") of the life of Rishabhdev, such as his birth and enlightenment.
It is said that about 1,000 kg of gold was used in the decoration.
The hall also has gold-plated images of flying airships ("vimanas"), elephants and other figures, and Belgian glass and stained glass decorations.
Visitors can view the "Golden City" from a gallery, while the inner temple is reserved for worship by Jains.
About Rishabhdev:
- He is the first of the 24 Jain Tirthankaras.
- He is believed to have been born in Ayodhya.
- His symbol (lanchhan) is the bull.
- He is believed to have attained nirvana on Mount Kailash (Ashtapada).
- His son Bharata is believed by Jains to have given his name to "Bharatavarsha" (India), and his other son Bahubali (Gommateshwara) is honoured by the huge statue at Shravanabelagola.
- The 24th and last Tirthankara was Mahavira; the 23rd was Parshvanath.
Other famous Jain temples in Rajasthan:
- Dilwara Temples (Mount Abu): famous for marble carvings.
- Ranakpur Temple (Pali): dedicated to Adinath; famous for its 1,444 carved pillars, no two alike.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Lord Mahavira is the 24th Tirthankara.
- ✗Lord Parshvanath is the 23rd Tirthankara.
- ✗Lord Neminath is the 22nd Tirthankara, associated with Girnar.
Quick tip
Remember: Soniji Ki Nasiyan, Ajmer = Lord Rishabhdev (Adinath), first Tirthankara (built 1864-65 by Seth Moolchand Soni; "Swarna Nagari" golden hall; "Lal Mandir"); Ranakpur = Adinath (1,444 pillars); Mahavira = 24th Tirthankara.
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Monuments & Religious Places — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Monuments & Religious Places, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's important monuments, temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras and pilgrimage sites, who built them and when, their architectural styles, and India's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Questions ask who built a monument, where it is located, or which dynasty or style it belongs to. For example, the Qutub Minar was begun by Qutbuddin Aibak, and the Sun Temple at Konark was built by the Eastern Ganga king Narasimhadeva I. Revise the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as a list, noting the most recent additions. Practise the monuments and religious places questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.