Ghee Khatam? 🥀 (Inserts Rajkumar Rao’s meme image).Â
But seriously, imagine scrolling through Instagram and stumbling upon a post claiming an entire temple in Rajasthan was built with 40,000 kilograms of ghee instead of water. Naturally, the comments section went berserk: “Bro, use water and donate the ghee to the poor,” one person joked. Another wrote, “Doubt about that ghee lore.”
Fair enough. Because if someone pitched this as a movie script, you’d probably reject it for being too unbelievable. (Other than SLB probably, he would eat this sh*t up).Â
But somewhere in the narrow lanes of Bikaner’s old city stands the Bhandasar Jain Temple, where this centuries-old story has refused to die.
So… What’s The Ghee Story?
The temple is named after Bhanda Shah (also known as Bhandasa Oswal), a wealthy Jain merchant who is believed to have begun its construction around 1468 CE. It is dedicated to Sumatinath, the fifth Jain Tirthankara, and remains one of Bikaner’s oldest Jain temples.
The legend goes that medieval Bikaner was battling severe water scarcity. Since water was too precious to use for large-scale construction, an enormous quantity of pure ghee, believed to be around 40,000 kilograms, was mixed into the mortar instead.
Sorry what?Â
Another version of the folklore adds some classic medieval drama. Bhanda Shah was allegedly mocked by an architect after carefully saving a single drop of spilled ghee, earning the label of a miser. Determined to prove his generosity, he is said to have donated thousands of kilograms of ghee for the temple’s construction.Â
Some local accounts even mention that dry coconuts were added to the foundation along with the ghee, making the construction story even more unusual (and yeah, kinda tasty too).Â
The Ghee Isn’t Even The Coolest Part. YES!Â
Here’s where viral undersell the monument. Walk inside and you’ll realise the temple deserves to be famous even without the legend.
The three-storey structure looks like someone turned an illuminated manuscript into architecture. Every ceiling is decorated with intricate floral designs. Pillars are painted from top to bottom and mirror work catches the light from every angle. Gold-leaf detailing appears across the interiors, while elaborate frescoes depict Jain philosophy, mythology and all 24 Tirthankaras.
Art historians also connect parts of the decoration to Bikaner’s famed Usta artisans, whose craftsmanship once adorned royal palaces. Their signature style, filled with delicate painting and ornamental detail, gives the temple an identity that is completely different from the white marble Jain temples of Ranakpur or Dilwara.
Built from red sandstone and yellow stone, the temple has thrived more than 500 years of desert heat, dust storms and changing kingdoms. Today, it is protected as a heritage monument by the Archaeological Survey of India.
The “Sweating Ghee” Legend
As if one unbelievable story wasn’t enough, locals have another.
Many believe that on exceptionally hot summer days, faint oily traces appear on parts of the temple, linking them to the ghee supposedly used during construction centuries ago.
Imagine being so iconic and royal, that you sweat GHEE!Â
It’s one of those stories that has become inseparable from the monument itself. Whether you’re a believer or a sceptic, chances are you’ll hear it the moment you step inside.
Meanwhile, The Internet Has Questions
The viral Instagram post has sparked exactly the kind of reactions you’d expect.
One user wrote, “Imagine being proud of wasting 40,000 kg of ghee.”
Another joked, “Bro use water and ghee ko baant do garibon me.”
Someone else questioned the story altogether, commenting, “Doubt about that ghee lore.”
Others pointed out that the shrine is also locally known as Bhanda Shah Jain Temple, while a few reminded everyone that it’s a Jain derasar, not just another tourist attraction.
Honestly, the comments are almost as entertaining as the legend itself. Maybe more. SHH.Â
Toodlesss.