In this Indian temple, Ghee was used instead of water for construction

Indian temples are full of facts and mysteries that leave people in awe and wonder. From the idols that turn hot water to cold, to the columns that are floating in the air with no support from the ground, and from huge, heavy spheres added atop temples, to constructions done with 40,000 Kg of Ghee, there is something to amaze us all.
And one such legend is of the Bhandasar temple in Rajasthan. Built around the 15th century by a wealthy merchant named Banda Shah Oswal, it is dedicated to Sumatinath, the fifth Tirthankara of Jainism.

(Image: jacpicphotography/Instagram)

Something that sets the temple apart is not just the story of its construction with ghee, but also the interiors and architecture of the temple. Like many Jain temples, it has detailed carvings, colourful frescoes, murals, and much more. The temple is built in three stories, with each level showing a different aspect of Jain culture.
The walls, pillars, ceilings, and columns, are all covered with beautiful paintings and frescoes and show scenes from the lives of different Jain Tirthankaras.
(Image: sanatansanskrutivigyan/Instagram)

The construction of the temple and the stories and legends associated with it now are varied. Some say that it is untrue that any Ghee was used instead of water as it is not possible to achieve the right construction material with it, and the temple would have fallen if that was the case. While others say that the addition of ghee could have been due to spiritual reasons, or due to scarcity of water, and the fact that the temple is intact today is a doing of excellent artistry, masonry, and people’s faith.

One of the most popular stories that talk about why this temple was constructed with ghee instead of water says that one time when Banda Shah approached the villagers to construct the temple on the land, they opposed it. When asked why, the villagers said that there was already very scarce water in the area, which was barely enough for their survival. And now if a temple was constructed, the water would finish, and people would starve.

But Banda Shah was resolute and decided to go ahead with the construction of the temple with Ghee instead of water.

Another popular story says - One time, when Banda Shah called a mason to assess what would be needed to start the construction of the temple, a fly fell into one of the ghee containers. Banda Shah picked out the fly, rubbed it on his shoes so that the ghee did not waste, and then threw the fly away. Seeing this, the mason thought that he was very stingy with money, and so asked him to construct the temple with ghee instead of water. The mason argued that the construction would be more sturdy and would not crack for a long time. He also claimed that the whole temple would need atleast 40,000 kg of Ghee to complete.
And so, the next day, Banda Shah presented the mason with all the Ghee required. The mason became flustered and confessed that he only did it to test Banda Shah as he thought that he was very stingy with his money.
Banda Shah, although furious, said that as he had already donated the ghee in the name of God, he cannot take it back and so the construction has to start with it now.

Although one cannot dig down to find out if the foundations are really of Ghee instead of water, it is said that as Ghee was used for construction, on very hot days, the floors of the temple get slippery and Ghee can be seen seeping out of the columns and floors.