Shankheshwar
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| Shankheshwar | |
  Shankheshwar
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| State - District(s) |
Gujrat - Patan |
| Coordinates | |
| Area | |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Population - Density |
- |
| Codes - Postal - Telephone - Vehicle |
- 384240 - +912722 - |
Shankheshwar is most importent Jain tirth for Jain pilgrimage.This is situated in the Patan district of Gujrat state of India. Shankheshwar an ancient place of Jain pilgrimage,as per Mughal history the village is recorded as a lease-grant by Emperor Shah Jahan to the Nagar-sheth of Ahmedabad, named Sheth Shantidas. A fair is held here on Hindu calendar month Chaitra and Kartik full moon day and Margashirsha Vada 10. The temple ranks next only to Palitana in importance for the Jaina. The nearest railway station of Harij is at a distance of 10 kilometers and Viramgam is at a distance of 62 kilometers. Bus service and private vehicles are available. Boarding and lodging facilities are available at this place.
[edit] History
In ancient inscriptions, this Jaintirth is referred to as Shankhapur. Ashadhi Shravaka fell, in the grip of dreadful miseries of life. Questions arose in his mind - "When shall I attain nirvana? When shall I be free from the bondage? When shall I be liberated ? When shall I attain salvation? " Answering all these questions, Damodar Swami, the ninth Tirthankara said "Parshvanath will be the twenty-third Jain Tirthankara in the avasarpinikala (the descending half of the wheel of time). You will be his Ganadhar (prime disciple) named Aryaghosha and attain salvation there. He, then, became fully devoted in praying to lourd Parshwanath and worshipping His idol. The history of renovation of the temple is as follows:In the year 1155 of the Vikram era{1099 A.D.}, Sajjan Shah built the Shankheshwar temple on the banks of the Rupen river. In the year 1286 of the Vikram era{1230 A.D.}, Vastupal Tejpal renovated this temple under instructions of Jain Acharya Vardhamansuri. There were 52 idols in the temple. In the year 1302 {1246 A.D.}, King was awe-inspired by inconceivable grandeur of the idol and inspired by Jain Acharya Uktasuri Maharaj, he renovated this temple. In the fourteenth century of the Vikram era, this temple was destroyed by Muslims. In the sixteenth century of the Vikram era, under the inspiration of Jain Acharya Vijaysensurisvarji Maharaj, the splendid new temple with 52 idols, was built. In the year 1760 of the Vikram era{1704 A.D.}, the JainSangha built the new temple and got the idol reinstalled. Since then, this vast and beautiful temple with a 52 idols and passage for going round it stands there. Besides, the original sanctuary, this temple has an open square, a decorated square, a vast square and two assembly halls. Even if volumes of books are written, they cannot fully describe the miracles of this temple. Main God-Nearly 6 feet high, white-colored idol of lourd Shankheshwar Parshwanath in the Padmasana {cross-leged immage} posture.
The idol of lourd Bhidbhanjan Parshvanath is in small temple to the right of the chief idol and the idol of second Jain Tirthankara lourd Ajitanatha is in the small temple to the left of the main idol. The idols of Nagraj Dharanendradev, Shri Goddess Padmavatidevi, Parshva Yaksha and GoddessChakreshvaridevi can also be found. On the tenth day of the Hindu calendar month of Posh (the tenth day of the dark half of the Hindu calendar month of Margashirsha) and during the Diwali days, thousand of pilgrims come here to observe a two-day long fast. Along with this we can find the are the Agam Mandir, the temple of 108 Parshwanath and Padmavathidevi, the Guru mandir and other temples.
