The Sacred Temple of Galta, Jaipur

The meaning of the word Rajasthan means ‘raja ka sthan’, i.e. ‘the land of the kings’. This largest state of India is famous all over the world for its magnificent forts and palaces. It attracts tourists from all corners of the world all through the year.

Apart from the forts and palaces Rajasthan tours are also known for its beautiful temples. One such temple is the Galta Ji temple, Jaipur. Galta ji is a sacred pilgrimage site of India that is situated nearly 10 km away from Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan. The temple is situated next to an innate spring, and is situated on an edge that offers an overwhelming sight of the town. The temple is dedicated to the god of sun, and is the only temple in the area that is dedicated to sun god.

The Galta Ji temple, that is commonly known as the sun temple, was built by Diwan Kriparam and is the also the most significant holy place of Galta. It was shrine of the Ramanand sect of Vaishanavites and is also connected with the learned Galavai, the one who is thought to have executed sacrament here.

The structure of this outstanding temple looks like a Haveli or a mansion. Galta is basically a small pilgrim place that is located just near Sisodia Rani-ka-Bagh on the Agra road near Jaipur. The main temple, as said earlier, lies on the edges of the hills and has a massive complex. The architecture is of pink coloured stone and wealth of pavilions having curved roofs. Apart from this you can also find out many more temples during your India Tours.

All the pillars as well as the walls have wonderful paintings and carvings. The enchanting sound of the heavy bells and the drums makes the whole complex look more peaceful and holy. The paintings are mostly of Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma, Parvati, and Ganesha. The complex, altogether, is such a beauty to see that it is more than a mere place of worship. This is the reason that a number of tourists visit this temple all through the year. Also, there are many ‘kunds’, i.e. natural reservoirs around the whole Galta Ji temple. Here, the devotees to the lord sun, take dip in the water and believe that by doing this, they cure themselves from the sins that they have committed in their lives. The belief is so strong that even during the chilly months of December to March, the number of devotees and their dips never reduces.

There are other temples as well in the complex. Out of these, the Hanuman temple is a beautiful site. This temple is surrounded by monkeys all the time and the natural water springs are an extraordinary interest for the visitors. In all, there are 7 ‘kunds’ in the complex. Out of these, the Galta kund is considered to be holiest. An amazing thing about this is that, this tank never dries up. Makar sakranti is observed as the most auspicious day to take dip in the sacred water of Galtaji. The financial support to the temple is provided by the Birla family.

Author is an eminent analyst for India Tours. Information about india tour visit here http://www.annonline.com and for Rajasthan tour visit here http://www.annonline.com/rajasthan-tour/index.html