ABSTRACT
The Dharn˝å Vihåra was abandoned and disused for religious purposes until 1897, in part because of its remoteness. While its solitude and peace are an obvious source of appeal for current visitors, whether devotees or tourists, it should be remembered that the majority of flvetåmbara and Digambara Jains in north India, who today are town or city dwellers, do not experience their local places of worship in such a dramatic setting. In cities such as Jaipur and Delhi, Jain temples are often situated in bustling back streets and, not having towers and without any obvious superstructure, they are externally indistinguishable from the shops and offices which surround them and inaccessible outside hours of worship in the morning and evening.44
