Editor Carla Geerdes
We would have liked to stay a little longer, but schedule pressed to go on to the next temple. The many traffic jams competently were mastered by our driver. After some time, we stopped in front of one of the best known Jain temples in Delhi, Shri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir opposite the Red Fort. Very fast we got out of the car, the driver brought up to speed and disappeared. We were standing in front of the temple complex and gave it the chance to affect on us.
Opposite Red Fort the temple is situated. View on Red Fort from the temple.
An Amazing crowd was moving on the multi-lane road, all densely populated with people, cars, trucks, busses, three-wheelers, and rickshaws. The marginal was used by people, it was the smallest. Beside this colourful crush, the temple rose majestically, and presented in spite of the many visitors from all over the world an oasis of peace and contemplation.
The photo shows the forecourt and the front of the temple.
A group of tourists mainly consisting of young Japanese girls urged into the temple. But many of them had forgotten to put off their shoes and to switch off their cameras. They had to start their entry to the temple again, needs must. We did not see the group anymore, perhaps because we had to wait some time at the entrance for Swami Dharmanandji. He had tried to find someone responsible enough to give permission for taking pictures. But this exactly was the difficulty. After some seesaw he was able to succeed. We were very pleased that he was so kind to accompany us, as nobody in the temple seemed to understand English.
A very small loopy staircase led inside the temple. The room we entered was very tall, but not too big, with a curved ceiling, giving the security feeling of a cave. The walls are ornamented with the depictions of spiritual teachers, locations and symbols. Colours emphasising the impression of an archaic cave reminding mother’s womb had been used for the decoration. Although there were many sources of light in the room, the illumination created a rather sober, mystifying, and natural effect. One might ask oneself how the illumination of this room would have been before electrification and how much of the wonderfully coloured walls and the ornamented sculptures then were visible.
Young men showing their deep devotion, absorbed in prayer.
Swami Dharmanandji (r) admires the colourful sculpture of a Tirthankara together with other visitors
Visitors enjoy coming here being charged with the spiritual energy of the location, even when they are not members of the temple’s Jain community. This is not the only reason why the temple always is frequented. The neighborhood of the tourist attraction Red Fort also invites many travelers from all countries.
It is not this alone. The followers who had come here are showing a spiritual zeal very opposed to the bustling environment outside the temple. But as described earlier, the atmosphere in the temple is wonderful, letting forget daily routine and remembering the charm of life in its beginnings. The lights partly were reflected in the silver and golden parts of the decoration, which gave a very homey feeling to the visitor, no matter from how far he had reached this serene site.
Lifting the eyes, one looks at a small wonder of terrestrial handicraft bringing celestial spheres breath-taking near
Catching one’s breath is only possible when stepping out-of-doors. Then the noisiness of the street can assail attention again. Breathlessness can no longer be afforded. Life in all its facets is rioting here. The world is getting back the attention which one had denied to it in the temple.
The announcement on the poster proves the vivid activities of the temple community.
Delightedly the view rests for some time on these noble souls who once irrevocably by own motivation had decided to live a life completely dedicated to the principle of Ahimsa. Automatically one turns to the right to become again a part of this world like all the other people. Some steps and another turn along another famous building catches the eye.
Delhi Charity Birds Hospital
Famous Charity Bird’s Hospital, a location of mercifulness for injured or ill birds.
Nearly everyone starting to be interested in Jainism, after doing some enquiry on the subject in the internet, sooner or later finds a hint on this institution, founded in 1956. It is situated directly beside the Digambara temple opposite Red Fort. Daily up to 60 new patients are admitted. Altogether equal to 10,000 birds of all species living in Delhi can be treated here. After therapy the birds are released again.
