Osian, Jodhpur

<!-- See WikiProject Indian cities for details -->Osian (Osiyan) is an ancient town located in the Jodhpur District of Rajasthan state in western India. It is an oasis in the Thar Desert, 65&nbsp;km (40 miles) north of the district headquarters at Jodhpur, on a diversion off the main Jodhpur &ndash; Bikaner Highway.It is also known as Khajuraho of Rajasthan.

Osian is famous as home to the cluster of ruined Brahmanical and Jain temples dating from the 8th to 11th centuries. The city was a major religious centre of the kingdom of Marwar during the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty. Of the 18 shrines in the group, the Surya or Sun Temple and the later Kali temple, Sachiya Mata Temple and the main Jain temple dedicated to Lord Mahavira stands out in their grace and architecture.

The nearest airport is at Jodhpur. National Highway 11 passes through Osian. Osian Railway Station is situated on the Jodhpur &ndash; Phalodi line of North Western Railway.Astonfield Renewable Resources Limited (ARRL) is developing a solar power project in the town currently, which will be the first industry in this holy town.

History of Osian

Osian is a small village 65&nbsp;km (40 miles) north-east of Jodhpur. It is an important Jain pilgrimage center for the Oswal Jain community. The (Mahavira, महावीर) Temple, built here in A. D. 783, is an important tirtha for Jains built by Gurjara Pratihara King Vatsaraja.<ref...
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