Kanch Mandir, Indore

Also Seth Hukumchand Jain Temple

Indore’s glass temple, its walls, ceilings and pillars covered almost entirely in mirror and coloured-glass mosaic depicting Jain cosmology and narrative.

Built in 1903 by the merchant Seth Hukumchand, and known locally simply as the glass temple for the mirrorwork that covers nearly every interior surface — a technique shared with Kolkata’s Pareshnath temple but taken further here.

The upper floor carries scenes of Jain cosmology in glass mosaic, including a depiction of hell rendered in the same decorative technique as the shrine itself, which visitors often find the most startling part of the building.

Written for Jain Times. Corrections are welcome — see sources and licences.