Gajpanth

Gajpanth

Gajpanth

Shree Dharmachakra Prabhav Tirth at Gajpanth
Gajpanth
Basic information
Location Nashik, Maharashtra
Geographic coordinates 20°03′47″N 73°47′33″E / 20.0630539°N 73.7924618°E / 20.0630539; 73.7924618Coordinates: 20°03′47″N 73°47′33″E / 20.0630539°N 73.7924618°E / 20.0630539; 73.7924618
Affiliation Jainism
Deity Parshvanatha
Specifications
Temple(s) 6
Elevation 122 m (400 ft)

Gajpanth (also spelled Gajpantha) is a Jain pilgrimage site (Sidh-ak-shetra) located near the Jain temple at Nashik.[1][2] It is located in Masrul village, in the Nashik district of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is 16 km (10 mi) from the Nashik Road Railway station and 5 km (3 mi) from Nashik City, and is situated on the steep slopes of a 400-foot-high (122 m) hill. The pilgrimage site is accessible via a staircase built in black stone, which leads directly to the temple.[3] The hill has 450 steps, three caves (known as 'chamar leni'), and several temples belonging to the Digambara sect of the Jains. There is also a sculpture depicting samavasarana (divine preaching hall of tirthankara) on the hills of Gajpanth.

History

Gajpanth is said to be the salvation place of seven Balabhadra (heroes) of the Jain Universal history, known as Vijay, Achal, Sudharma, Suprabh, Nandi, Nandimitra and Sudarshan. It is believed that the saints took eight crores (80 million) of Yadav kings with them from this location to salvation.[4] It is believed that many Jain monks (or sadhus) attained moksha from this hill.[3]

Temple

Shri Dharmachakra Prabhav Tirth

Shri Dharmachakra Prabhav Tirth is constructed with white marble and pink sand. The temple is adorned with the idols of the jain saints and the most important among them is the idol of Mahavira, the 24th Jain Tirthankar, which is made of Panchdhatu and weighs about 12 tons.[5]

An idol of height of more than 16 feet made up of gray stone of Parshvantha was found here during excavation. [6]

Jain Chaityalaya temple

Jain Chaityalaya temple is more than 100 years old. This temple houses a 25 inches tall statue of Bhagwan Mahavira in Padmasana Mudra. In the left side of the statue of Bhagwan Mahavira there is Adinath’s statue in Padmasana Mudra.

A temple with Mahaveer statues in four directions is also present here. The staircase to the Gajadhwaja Hillock goes from this temple. There are two caves on a hill in Anjaneri area which is 16 km from Gajpantha. In one of the caves, the 3 feet high Padmasan idols of Bhagwan Mallinath is engraved and 5 idols are engraved on the other. In the foothill temple the shell inscripation of 12th century had a five feet idol of a Tirthankara.[7]

Chamer Caves

Chamer Caves or Chamber Caves according to "Shantinath Purana" was built by Mysore’s Chamaraj Kingwere in 600 B.C. this cave is full jain sculptures.[8]

See Also

References

  1. ↑ Titze, Kurt; Bruhn, Klaus (1998), Jainism, p. 81, ISBN 9788120815346
  2. ↑ "Doc firm on Santhara despite HC ban: I too want a beautiful death", The Indian Express
  3. 1 2 "Gajpantha Jain Temple", www.digambarjainonline.com
  4. ↑ "Gajpantha", Jain Heritage Centres
  5. ↑ http://www.jesnasik.com/aboutnasik.php
  6. ↑ http://www.digambarjainonline.com/pilgri/gajpantha.htm
  7. ↑ http://www.jainsamaj.org/rpg_site/literature2.php?id=2467&cat=40
  8. ↑ http://www.digambarjainonline.com/pilgri/gajpantha.htm
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