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Ranakpur Jawai Bandh Festival: marble temples, leopard hills, folk music
Folk music at dusk in a valley of marble temples in the Aravalli hills
The Ranakpur Jawai Bandh Festival is a small two-day festival that Rajasthan Tourism holds in Pali district, between the marble Jain temple of Ranakpur and the Jawai Bandh reservoir with its leopard hills. Days are for yoga, walks in the Aravalli foothills and hot-air balloons; evenings are folk and classical music in the open-air amphitheatre at the Sun Temple. Dates: 21–22 December 2026. It is less an event to travel for than a good reason to spend a night here on a drive between Udaipur and Jodhpur.
Rajasthan Tourism publishes the dates years ahead (its current list runs to 2030) and can revise them; check its calendar a few months before.
The legend
Rajasthan Tourism holds the festival in Pali district, between the marble temple of Ranakpur and the Jawai Bandh reservoir.
The Jain temple at Ranakpur was begun in the 15th century by the merchant Dharna Shah after a vision; its 1444 marble pillars are all different.
The Jawai dam was built under Maharaja Umaid Singh of Jodhpur in 1946–1957; the rocks around it are known for leopards and birds.
Customs
Sun Temple evenings
Every evening the open-air amphitheatre at the Sun Temple hosts folk and classical performances.
Days in the Aravallis
By day there is yoga, forest walks in the Aravalli foothills, a visit to the Ranakpur temple, hot-air balloon rides and tug of war.
What is on
Rajasthan Tourism's programme follows the same pattern every year, and it usually holds the festival on the same two December days. It publishes its fairs and festivals calendar years ahead and can revise it, so check the calendar a few months before.
- By day — Yoga, nature walks in the forested Aravalli foothills, a visit to the Ranakpur Jain temple, hot-air balloon rides, tug of war and other games.
- In the evening — Folk and classical performances every evening in the open-air amphitheatre at the Sun Temple.
The setting
The festival's real attraction is the place. Ranakpur sits in a valley on the western side of the Aravalli Range.
Ranakpur Jain temple
A Shvetambara Jain temple dedicated to Adinatha (Rishabhanatha), the first Tirthankara. The merchant Dharna Shah began it in the 15th century after a vision, under the patronage of Rana Kumbha of Mewar, after whom Ranakpur is named. Its 1,444 marble pillars are carved individually, no two alike, and it is a major pilgrimage place for the Shvetambara community: visit it as a working temple, not a monument.
Jawai Bandh
A dam on the Jawai River near Sumerpur, built under Maharaja Umaid Singh of Jodhpur between 1946 and 1957, and the largest man-made dam in western Rajasthan. The rocky country around it is one of the best places in Rajasthan for leopard sightings and birdwatching.
Getting there
Ranakpur is a village in Pali district between Udaipur and Jodhpur: 91 km from Udaipur and 162 km from Jodhpur. It is easily reached by road from Udaipur. The nearest railway stations are Falna and Rani.
Earlier in December, Rajasthan Tourism also stages the Kumbhalgarh Festival inside Kumbhalgarh Fort, another 15th-century work of Rana Kumbha in the Aravallis.
FAQ
When is the Ranakpur Jawai Bandh Festival?
Next: 21–22 December 2026. Rajasthan Tourism usually holds it on the same two days in December and publishes the dates years ahead in its fairs and festivals calendar.
Who built the Ranakpur Jain temple?
The Jain merchant Dharna Shah began it in the 15th century after a vision, with the support of Rana Kumbha, ruler of Mewar. The architect is named as Dwepa, or Deepaka in a temple inscription.
What is Ranakpur famous for?
Its 15th-century marble Jain temple, dedicated to Adinatha, with 1,444 individually carved pillars. It is one of the most important temples of Jain culture.
Where exactly is the festival held?
In Pali district of Rajasthan, around Ranakpur and the Jawai Bandh reservoir; the evening performances are at the open-air amphitheatre by the Sun Temple in Ranakpur.
Sources (5)
Facts checked: 21 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.