Jainath Temple is situated in Jainath, 21 kms from Adilabad town, also known as the “City of Cotton”. Adilabad town is also the District Headquarters of the district of Adilabad. Jainath is 341 kms. from Hyderabad, which has the airport. The roads leading to the temple are well constructed except for a dip in the road wheJainath Temple - Adilabad Districtre water floods the road during the monsoons on the diversion at the Adilabad – Nagpur Highway to the temple.
The entrance to the temple precincts is marked by a wide, painted arch which has been built not many years ago. There is a “dwajastambh”, a tall iron pillar inlaid with gold plated layers right in front of the temple. There are about 16 steps leading to the Central Hall. The deity is in the hall within the temple and wide stones are laid leading to the sanctum sanctorum. The sanctum area is clean and cool and has four stone pillars with intricate engravings on them. There are other idols in the temple and one is that of reclining Mahavishnu which has got very intricate figures of the devaganas and sages.
The presiding deity in the temple is Lord Laksmi Narayana Swamy made of stone and more than life like and the temple architecture is more of Jain style. The town has been named Jainath because of this. The most auspicious month when festivals are conducted in the temple is during October – November. It is believed that in by-gone years the rays of the sun would touch the feet of Lord Lakshmi Narayana Swamy. Such was the kind of engineering feat that the civilization had during those days.
A prakrit stone with 20 slokas (verses) on it states that the temple had been built by the Chola Dynasty. These verses contain the importance of the temple and details of the architecture. The Cholas patronized the village. The decline of the dynasty and for various other reasons, temples around the premises have been languishing as no funds have been allotted for restoring those structures and the sculptures within.
The exterior of the temple is an exhibition in art itself. There are figurines that display the kind of dresses and mannerisms that have been in use. There is a figure of a maid who poses with a mirror held in her hand. The sandals that she wears are comparable to the kind of utility footwear being used in the present days. The hair has been made up, another display of the care they had on the physical hygiene in those days. On another face is the display on the churning of the nectar of Gods by Asuras on one side and the Devas on the other. These pictures are even clear now and the sculptures and carvings have withstood the ravages of time. A chariot is housed in the shed behind the temple which is taken out during the festivals. Apart from the temple structures being made out of slabs of granite, the other structures and the walls surrounding the temple have been made out of slate.
There are trees within the compound and idols that characterize various Gods have been erected near these trees. The Navagriha idols representing the nine planets are placed on a raised slab near one such banyan tree. Beyond the temple is a big Shiva linga near the banyan tree with intricate carvings.
On the way to the temple, there are old houses that create a feeling of living in the past. The winding paths and dusty roads are yet another off the world experience. Sunset brings the villagers of all ages irrespective of sex, and cattle to the raised platform where a cool breeze rustles the leaves and it is now time for relieving the mind from the myriad problems otherwise.
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