A spectacular temple located on Hukumchand Marg in Indore, this temple is one of the most prominent Jain religious places in India. The temple was built by Sir Seth Hukumchand Jain back in 1903. Hukumchand Jain was a prominent trader and took the initiative to not just build Kanch Mandir but also a mansion called Sheesh Mahal adjacent to the temple. Craftsmen from Jaipur and Iran were hired to work in this immaculate temple.
An interesting part to note is that both ‘kanch’ translates to ‘glass’ and ‘sheesh’ translates to ‘mirrors’ in Hindi. The temple, also known as Seth Hukumchand Temple, displays impressive artwork on glass panels. The artwork mostly depicts various aspects of Jainism. It is made entirely of glass - the walls, ceiling, pillars, floor, and doors are all made of glass. Apart from glass, patterned ceramic tiles and white stone, too, are used to create this architectural marvel.
The temple also features glass-cut chandeliers and glass lamps. The key highlight of the temple is the statue of Lord Mahavira, which is made from black onyx. Needless to say, the statue, too, is adorned with glass! The Kanch Mandir also features paintings that depict the timeline of the construction of the temple. It features portraits of the family members of Seth Hukumchand, who were involved in the historic events that paved the way towards the creation of the splendid Kanch Mandir. The intricacies and details of the temple not only leave us spellbound but also wonder at the talent and skill of the artisans who brought the idea of the Kanch Mandir into reality.
The Kanch Mandir holds an important place, especially among the Jain community. Jain festivals such as Sugandh Dashami, Annual Rath Yatra, and Kshamavali are celebrated and commemorated with great pomp at the temple. As the temple is the central institution for Jains based in Indore, processions held by the community often start and terminate at the Kanch Mandir.
The temple is open for visits from 5 AM to 12 PM and then from 4 PM to 8 PM every day, and there is no entry fee to visit the same. Here’s a tip - if you’re planning to visit the temple, make sure you visit it during sunrise. When the sun rises and the sun's rays hit the glass temple, the reflections create a spectacular effect. And that’s something you don’t want to miss out on at all!
View the list of the Top 5 places to visit in Indore here