Bhandasar Temple is a Jain temple in Bikaner, Rajasthan. The three-story temple dedicated to Sumatinatha, the 5th Tirthankara; is also called Bhanda Shah Jain temple. The white marble statue of Lord Sumatinath placed on top of a 2 feet high pavilion, is placed on the ground floor of the temple. It is famed for its beautiful wall paintings, yellow-stone carvings on walls and pillars of the sanctum sanctorum, and exquisite art sculpture work. An architectural masterpiece, the temple currently protected by the Archaeological Survey of India or ASI, was constructed by a Jain merchant Bhanda Shah Jain in the 15th century.
According to legends, to construct this temple; 40,000 Kg of ghee were used as mortar instead of water; and thousands of dry coconuts. 
One of the most popular and most visited temples in Bikaner, is Rajasthan. It consists of sections like garbhagriha, antarala, mahamandapa, and ardhamandapa sections. The sanctum is designed on the concept of Pancha Ratha or five rathas or five chariots; covered by shikhara with amalakas and karna-amalakas at the top. The interior walls and pillars of the sanctum and mandapa were extensively painted in later years. Stylistically, the temple resembles the architectural design that prevailed in the 12th century AD.
The Bhandasar Jain Temple has repeatedly undergone renovations and has been recently renovated under ASI observation. The temple is well known for its beautiful frescoes, leaf paintings, and ornamented mirrorwork. The temple made using red sandstone is famed for life-like illustrations depicting the lives of 24 Tirthankaras. Bhanda Shah Jain started the temple construction in the year 1468. The construction of the temple also called Bhandreshwar temple continued even after his death in 1514.
The temple is a National Protected Monument and is located near the historic Laxman temple in Bikaner. Built at a strategic location, it allows visitors a magnificent view of the entire skyline of Bikaner if they can climb up to the topmost floor of the temple, although access to the third floor is now prohibited. Bhandasar Jain Temple as one of the 27 beautiful Jain temples in Bikaner is considered one of the most beautiful and the highest of all Jain temples. The interiors of the temple are the major tourist attraction which is open 7 days a week from 05:00 AM to 01:00 PM and 05.30 PM to 11.30 PM.
The architecture of the 108 feet high temple is striking, as it is adorned with gold leaf paintings. The walls of the temple are decorated with beautifully sculpted pillars, and intricate mirror work which is the highlight alongside beautiful paintings. Tourists visiting the temple can also visit the nearby marketplace to shop for typical traditional Rajasthani handcrafted items and eat Rajasthani food items in the restaurants and street stalls. The best time to visit the temple for tourists is in winter from November to Mach as summer is extremely hot.
Tourists can come to Bikaner and reach the temple located at a distance of 3 km from Bikaner railway station. Tourists can take private buses, taxis, and auto rickshaws to reach the temple. Tourists can also reach Bhandasar Temple from Jodhpur airport. While visiting the temple there are several points that tourists need to keep in mind, these are: –
- Visitors are not allowed to carry leather items inside the temple. They must keep their leather-made belongings outside the temple at designated locations free of cost.
- Visitors are not allowed to carry food inside the temple, especially non-vegetarian food items.
There are numerous places worth visiting in and around Bikaner for tourists. These include Junagarh Fort, Prachina Museum, Gajner Palace and Lake, Karni Mata Temple, National Camel Research Centre, Camel Breeding Farm, Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum, Royal Cenotaphs, Kote Gate, Deshnok Temple, Shiv Bari Temple, Kodamdeshwar Temple, Shri Laxminath Temple, Lalgarh Palace and Museum, and Sadul Singh Museum. Tourists can also go for a sand dunes safari in deserts near Bikaner, as well as enjoy the annual camel festival held in January month every year. Overall, the beautifully decorated and designed temple is not only a sacred place to visit for Jain pilgrims but a must-visit place for tourists visiting Bikaner.
