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JainismUdaipur district

Kesariyaji (Rishabhdeo)

Deity: Rishabhanatha, in a black stone image, venerated by Jains, Vaishnavas and Bhil communities alike

Overview

At Rishabhdeo town in Udaipur district. The clearest documented case of inter-sect and inter-religious contest among the major Jain tirthas, and, precisely because so many communities claim it, a genuinely major destination. Sect: Contested and shared: Digambara, Shvetambara and Hindu claims, with a documented legal history.

History

Built 874 CE, in the reign of Rawal Khuyan, with a later inscription of 1422 CE recording repairs. The dispute over its identity dates to the fourteenth century and is tied to relations with the rulers of Mewar.

Spiritual Significance

The black stone image of Rishabhanatha here is venerated simultaneously by Digambara Jains, Shvetambara Jains, Vaishnava Hindus, and Bhil tribal communities, the last of whom revere Rishabhanatha as a local land deity rather than as a tirthankara. Few images in India carry that breadth of claim.

Pilgrimage Information

Getting there and getting in. Open to Digambara, Shvetambara, Hindu and Bhil devotees alike. No further detail was found. Jain temples of this rank commonly prohibit leather articles, restrict photography, and expect bathing before worship. Where this page does not state a restriction, it is because no source documented one for this particular site, not because none applies. Confirm on arrival.

Preservation

Protection status. Not established in the sources consulted.

Sources

About this page

Researched and written by YatraBeyond from published sources, and not yet confirmed by the temple. Facts here are cross-checked against at least two independent sources, never written from memory, and every source is listed above.

Last reviewed by us: 2026-09-17. Timings, entry rules and access can change without notice; treat anything time-sensitive as a starting point and confirm before you travel.

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