Kanch Temple

The construction of Kanch Temple was started in 1903 by Sir Seth Hukumchand, a noted industrialist and a resident of Indore. He built a grand residence at Itwaria Bazaar, named Sheesh Mahal and the Kanch Mandir was constructed next to it. While Seth Hukumchand built it with a wish for a personal temple, it was later opened to the entire public. Notably, the temple was built at an astounding cost of 1 lakh 62 thousand rupees, with the involvement of nearly 250 workers. The temple is adorned with eye-catching artworks and murals that speak of Jain philosophy and spirituality.

The temple premises are filled with depictions of Jain Gurus and Munis and ornamented portrayals of tales from Jain philosophy and mythology. A golden chariot and carriage are also present here, which are taken out every year for the annual Rath Yatra. Further, Further, the festivals of Sugandh Dashmi and Collective Kshamavani are also observed here. The temple is known as Chaityalaya because the complete consecration of the Gods could not be performed there.

Notably, Seth Hukumchand himself prepared the architectural design of the Kanch Temple. Its sanctum houses an alluring idol of Shree Chandrapha Bhagwan, who is accompanied by Adinath Bhagwan on his right. The statue of Adinath Bhagwan (Lord Mahavira) is made up of shining black onyx, which was sourced from Jaipur. The glass used for the construction of the temple was brought from Belgium and the carvings were done by artists from Iran and Jaipur. Given the glasswork, the interiors of the temple resound with a 3D effect that heightens its appeal. Interestingly, cement was not used for building this temple and the rocks have been joined using a mixture of lime.