Kanch Mandir, Indore
Of Mirrors, Spices and All Things Sacred
Kanch Mandir is literally a temple made of mirrors and glass. Built over 100 years ago, this is one place you cannot miss when in Indore
Text: Lyle Michael
Photographs: Farzana Contractor
Tired though we were from not just the early morning flight to Indore, but also the heavy meal at the fine dine, Araana, at our hotel Sheraton Grand Palace, we knew we had to tick off a few must-dos on our first day itself: Rajwada and Lalbagh Palaces, and the Temple of Mirrors we heard so much about. So, off we headed to explore Indore; and what a sight Kanch Mandir is, replete with a shikhara and a balcony which catch your eye upon first look.
Well, it’s not much to look at from its façade − with the owner’s residence, Sheesh Mahal, adjoining it − and rubble and debris from construction work on the busy Itwaria Bazaar road scattered around…but once within, it takes your breath away. It is all mirrors, every single piece that makes up this early 20th century Jain temple, built by Sir Hukumchand Seth, a prominent industrialist and member of the Jain community of Indore.
Step in, without any footwear (socks included), without any photographic equipment – here we were with our DSLR in hand, unaware – and with your mobile phones neatly tucked away. The security is not a patch on what one might expect the sentinels that man the gates of heritage sites to be, but they’re keeping a watchful eye whenever they can. Which is why we had to be extra cautious while stealing a few moments to click from our cell phones so that we could do justice to you, dear reader, when covering Indore in all its beauty, history, chaos and simplicity.
Staying true to its name, Kanch Mandir is the Temple of Mirrors, of panels of multi-coloured glass and mosaics. However, while the interiors of the mandir – from the columns to the walls, to the statues and the ceiling – are made entirely of mirrors and glass, the structure itself is of white stone and brick. Before you enter, on the side, amidst the rubble we mentioned above, is a signage that says, I Love Indore and a big red heart to go with it. You’ve gotta love Indore! And Kanch Mandir!
Enter we did, with our socks off – a smart call on the part of the founders – as the material would likely get caught in the pieces of glass that make up the floor and the steps that lead to the first level. It will not take you forever to tour Kanch Mandir as the top floor is cordoned off and the space is not large. Where time might stand still for you, though, is in the detailing and precision of this prodigious work of art. Imagine the painstaking labour involved in bringing Sir Hukumchand’s idea to fruition, putting together each piece of imported mirror, crystal and gemstones seen in the inner sanctum and on the idols, perfectly in tune with the design envisioned, all connected by lime and no cement whatsoever.
Calcium carbonate, scientifically speaking, is added to the glass to increase its chemical durability and insolubility, thus making it harder and well-formed. The glass was brought in from Belgium and the artisans from both, Jaipur and Iran.
People come from all over to pay obeisance to the Gods. You will find that the Garbagriha – the inner sanctum of the Jains – has the Tirthankara idols flanked on both sides by mirrors, thus multiplying their reflections. The idol of Lord Shantinath, one of the five Tirthankaras, the spiritual leaders of Jainism, is made of black marble, while those of Adinath – the Lord of the Beginning – and Chandraprabhu – the eight Tirthankara – are made of white marble. It is well-known that pilgrimages undertaken to holy sites such as Ujjain and Omkareshwar culminate at Kanch Mandir, for devotees of this religious community. Several festivals are also observed here, to begin the year on an auspicious note, with the blessings of the Gods above, and on the occasion of the annual Rath Yatra, the palki goes out from here itself. The significance of the mandir is renowned, indeed. Though 'grand' is not a word we would associate with it, exquisitely crafted, most certainly!
Sir Hukumchand Seth held a reputation for building grand temples and palaces and living in a larger-than-life world. He owned the poshest of cars, traded in the finest of cotton, silks, gold, silver, opium, oil, grain and more, on a large scale. It is said his Rolls-Royce was made of solid gold, and he fronted the cotton mills in Indore and started a jute mill in Calcutta! To say he was wealthy is to do him a disservice, and in an interview with Osho, the great spiritual leader, it was revealed that his ego was just as rich. Yet, a man and his riches must soon be parted, which is where you find Sir – titled by the Raj – Hukumchand Seth abandoning his lavish lifestyle for a modest way of living, defined by religious pursuits. Upon his deathbed, in 1959, when Osho paid him a visit, he said to him that it is not his bankruptcy that ails him so, but his ego. For it had separated him from his true self.
When we stood within the glass house of the Gods in Indore, it struck us that these mirrors that make up the temple are a reflection of who we are, infinitely multiplied. You see your true self magnified, from within. We are all the same in the eyes of God, no matter the denomination, and a spiritual reflection brings you back down to earth, to the core of your being, the simplicity that each of us should imbibe and share with one another. Now you know why Kanch Mandir is one you cannot afford to miss!
Once you’re done here, you can head off to feed your spice cravings at Marothia Bazaar just diagonal to the mandir, where all things spice and kitchen, and sacred, are at your disposal. The bazaar draws you in with its splash of colour and heady aroma of hing (asafoetida) that is readily available at the stalls that dot the street. From mehendi to haldi, lotus stems and dry fruits, pure ghee, raw materials for ice-cream, aam papad, sattu, chandan, jaggery, and everything you need for a puja, and more, are available.