- Initiative aims to inspire youth to uphold Sompura craftsmanship — the living tradition behind India’s iconic temples and monuments
- From the Somnath Temple on the western coast to countless architectural marvels across India, the Sompuras have carved India’s cultural soul in stone
NE SPIRITUAL BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, NOV 5
In a remarkable effort to safeguard and pass on India’s millennia-old legacy of sacred architecture and sculptural art, the Sompura Shilp Foundation and Sompura Kelavani Kendra have jointly completed and unveiled the ‘Sompura Shilp Sthapatya Granth’, a comprehensive compendium dedicated to the study and preservation of traditional Indian temple architecture.
The grand unveiling ceremony was graced by world-renowned spiritual leader and Bhagavata Acharya, Pujya Rameshbhai Oza (Bhaishri), who released the volume and lauded the Sompura community’s historic role in shaping India’s architectural identity.
For centuries, the Sompura sculptors have been the creative force behind India’s most magnificent Jain temples, palaces, stepwells, and monumental stone edifices. Today, only a few families of this lineage continue to practice the ancient craft — a tradition that blends devotion, geometry, and artistry in perfect harmony.
To ensure this timeless knowledge is not lost to modernity, the Sompura Kelavani Kendra undertook the creation of this Granth — a scholarly yet practical guide designed to educate young aspirants and students of architecture about the principles, philosophy, and science of Sompura-style temple architecture.
“I appeal to the youth of the Sompura community to uphold both their learning and their sacred tradition,” said Pujya Rameshbhai Oza (Bhaishri) at the launch event. “Sculptural art is not merely a profession — it is the expression of our divine cultural heritage. Educated Sompura youth can bring a professional perspective while staying rooted in their spiritual lineage.”
Echoing the sentiment, Trustee of the Sompura Shilp Foundation, Rajesh Sompura, remarked, “This Granth is not just a book — it has been revered by many saints and scholars as a Dharmagranth (spiritual text). It offers authentic insights for budding architects, researchers, and Ph.D. scholars from India and abroad who wish to explore our vast sculptural and architectural traditions. We are confident that this compendium will serve as a guiding light for generations to come.”
The Sompura artisans, through their extraordinary mastery, have transformed lifeless stone into living poetry — chiseling the essence of mythology and devotion into marble, sandstone, and granite. Their legacy includes centuries-old temples, Jain derasars, forts, palaces, and world-famous stepwells, each a testimony to their unmatched craftsmanship.
From the Somnath Temple on the western coast to countless architectural marvels across India, the Sompuras have carved India’s cultural soul in stone — shaping not just monuments, but an eternal dialogue between art, spirituality, and devotion.
The ‘Sompura Shilp Sthapatya Granth’ thus stands as both a tribute and a torch — illuminating the path for young artisans to preserve, study, and expand India’s divine architectural legacy across the world.
